A Wonderleaf question
How do satellites stay in orbit?
a real page from the book
Satellites stay in orbit because gravity pulls them toward Earth while their sideways speed carries them forward. They are always dropping, but they move so fast that the ground curves away beneath their path before they can hit it.
A rocket must give a satellite enough height and the right sideways push. Once there, it can coast for a long time because space has almost no air to slow it. Lower satellites need more speed; higher ones can circle more slowly.
Wonder words
- orbit
- gravity
- satellite
- rocket
Try it out
Roll a marble across a curved bowl and watch how speed changes whether it drops inward or keeps circling.
Read the whole picture book
Watercolour scenes, straight answers, about three minutes cover to cover.
Open the picture bookKeep wondering
- Could people live on Mars someday?
- What is a shooting star?
- What is a black hole?
- Why do astronauts float in space?
- Why is space so dark?
- Why is the moon sometimes out during the day?
And the next question?
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