When a satellite is in a geostationary orbit, is it moving at a high speed or not moving at all? How is it able to keep an exact match with earths rotation?
In: Physics
Everything is moving. We typically specify how things are moving compared to something else. Geosynchronous orbit is far from the Earth and moving very quickly.
Earth rotation is very stable. So satellites do not need to change speed to match changes in Earth’s speed. But satellites do slow down a little over time, so they have engines (rockets) to speed them up slightly from time to time.
Just remember that you’re standing on a planet that’s evolving
And revolving at 900 miles an hour.
It’s orbiting at 19 miles a second, so it’s reckoned,
The sun that is the source of all our power.
Now the sun, and you and me, and all the stars that we can see,
Are moving at a million miles a day,
In the outer spiral arm, at 40, 000 miles an hour,
Of a galaxy we call the Milky Way.
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