wolfox
Gentle Wolfox
join:2002-11-27
Fayetteville, AR
| reply to voiplover
Re: Shows what i know..me=dumb
Satellites carry a finite amount of compressed gasses on-board that are used through it's lifetime to correct it's place in space. Especially on geo-synchronous birds. When they run out of spritz, they fall from orbit and die.
--
The RIAA killed my legal webcast. Sadly it will never be mourned... |
|
drjim
Premium,MVM
join:2000-06-13
Torrance, CA
clubs:
| They don't "fall from orbit". When the onboard consumables get low, they let it drift North-South for a while, and then use the remaining fuel to boost it up and out to a graveyard orbit. About half the lift-off weight is fuel, and about 90% of that is used for North-South station-keeping. Once they're in the proper orbit, they drift very little East-West.
--
One man's Magic is another man's Engineering. |
|
PolarBear
The bear formerly known as aaron8301
join:2005-01-03
Riverside, WA | Since they're solar powered, couldn't they be maneuvered via electric means? |
|
Healbot
Premium
join:2003-07-16
Vancouver, WA
 ·Comcast
| said by PolarBear  :Since they're solar powered, couldn't they be maneuvered via electric means? I don't think an electric motor can spin air that doesn't exist. |
|
PolarBear
The bear formerly known as aaron8301
join:2005-01-03
Riverside, WA | Oh sure, you just HAVE to bring up stupid laws of physics... ugh!  |
|
drjim
Premium,MVM
join:2000-06-13
Torrance, CA
clubs:
| reply to PolarBear
Well...."kinda-sorta". Hughes (now Boeing) invented the "XIPS" Xenon-Ion-Propulsion-System which uses electric power to produce a plasma from Xenon liquid. It's very efficient, but still relies on having a tank of *something* to use. Eventually, you run out of "stuff" to use, which renders an otherwise "good" satellite defunct.
--
One man's Magic is another man's Engineering. |
|
N10Cities
Is it quittin' time yet?
join:2002-05-07
Podunk, AR
clubs:
 ·World Lynx
·Cox HSI
edit:
November 28th, @07:46AM
| said by drjim :Well...."kinda-sorta". Hughes (now Boeing) invented the "XIPS" Xenon-Ion-Propulsion-System which uses electric power to produce a plasma from Xenon liquid. It's very efficient, but still relies on having a tank of *something* to use. Eventually, you run out of "stuff" to use, which renders an otherwise "good" satellite defunct. --- |
|
