Orbiters
Orbiters are spacecraft designed to orbit celestial bodies, such as planets, moons, or asteroids. They are used for a variety of purposes, including scientific research, reconnaissance, and communication. Orbiters typically carry a suite of instruments to study the target body, such as cameras, spectrometers, and magnetometers. They may also carry landers or rovers to explore the surface of the body. Orbiters require precise navigation and control to maintain their orbit, which may be highly elliptical or circular, and may require frequent adjustments to avoid collisions with other objects in space. Some notable examples of orbiters include the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, and the Cassini spacecraft, which orbited Saturn and its moons for over a decade.
Your Previous Searches
Random Picks
- Cross-Polarization Interference: In the context of aerospace engineering, Cross-Polarization Interference (CPI) refers to a phenomenon that occurs in satellite communication systems where the signal transmitted in one polarization interferes with the signal transmitted in ... Read More >>
- Orbit mechanics: Orbit mechanics is a branch of astronautical engineering that deals with the motion of artificial satellites and other spacecraft in orbit around celestial bodies. It involves the study of the forces acting on a spacecraft in orbit, such as ... Read More >>
- Weather Satellite: A weather satellite is a type of satellite that is primarily used to monitor the weather and climate of the Earth. These satellites are equipped with various instruments and sensors that can measure different atmospheric parameters such as ... Read More >>
Top News
Check out this interactive map of the early universe, considered largest ever cr...
A team of astronomers have put together the largest, most detailed map of the universe ever created – and you can explore it now....
News Source: USA Today on 2025-06-12
The Vera C. Rubin Observatory is about to totally transform astronomy...
With the ability to scan the entire southern night sky every three days, the huge Vera C. Rubin Observatory could be about to start solving the mysteries of the universe, from dark matter to Planet Ni...
News Source: New Scientist on 2025-06-12
Trump's proposed science cuts will have huge consequences...
The universe will still be there to marvel at, despite brutal cuts set to hit NASA and the National Science Foundation's budgets. But the damage to future research will be long-lasting, says Chanda Pr...
News Source: New Scientist on 2025-06-11
Starlink satellites are leaking radio signals that may ruin astronomy...
Our ability to study faint radio signals from when the first stars began to form is being threatened by SpaceX's Starlink satellites, which seem to be unintentionally leaking radio signals that overpo...
News Source: New Scientist on 2025-06-09
Asteroids around Venus pose possible 'invisible threat' to Earth: Should you be ...
A swarm of large asteroids likely lurking around Venus could one day pose an "invisible threat" to Earth if left unchecked, astronomers have warned....
News Source: USA Today on 2025-06-06