Satellite

An object in an orbit around a planet. It can be either natural, for example a moon, or it can be artificial, for example a space probe.

Historical Notes

1610 Jupiter's satellites discovered by Galileo.

4 October 1957 Sputnik becomes the first man-made object to orbit the Earth.

4 January 1958 Sputnik 1 fell back to earth.

31 January 1958 USA launches its first artificial satellite.

1982 First launch of communications satellites into orbit by space shuttle.

1984 First retrieval of malfunctioning satellites, repair and relaunch by space shuttle.