What is the difference between a satellite and a rocket? Detailed analysis

The article describes what the satellite is different from the rocket, their types are considered, and what they are needed for and how they affect the planets.

The Beginning of the Space Age

From the very beginning of the development of astronomy and the discovery of other planets, people dreamed of flying to the stars. But this desire was realized only relatively recently, in the second half of the XX century. A little later, the active development of near-Earth space began. Although, I must say, rather modest, but this is a matter of time. And often in the night sky one can see fast-moving bright points, artificial satellites of the Earth. But how is the satellite different from the rocket, if both are built by people and launched into space? In this we will understand.

Their types

First you need to decide on their variety. Satellites are artificial and natural. Let's start with the first.

Artificial

An artificial satellite is a small spacecraft with no people on board. It is led to a near-earth orbit, where it moves around the Earth under the action of its gravity and centrifugal force, which does not allow it to fly away or again fall to the planet. The purpose of the satellites is very different: observation of weather conditions, provision of communication between different hemispheres and remote corners of the earth, photo and video. They are also military and provide control of various kinds. But how is the satellite different from the rocket, which can the same?

Actually this is not true. The rocket, of course, can also be equipped with scientific or observational equipment and put into orbit, but still its task is the delivery to the near-Earth space of cosmonauts, cargoes, and the same satellites. Or a flight to the moon, as it was in the late 70-ies of the last century. So we sorted out the answer to the question about what the satellite is different from the rocket.

By the way, the first satellite in the history of mankind was brought into orbit by the Soviet Union in 1957.

In the same place were created all objects that rotate temporarily or permanently around our planet, whether it is the ISS, spacecraft or otherwise.

Natural satellites

To such class it is possible to carry objects which always were in an orbit of planets and were not created by people. For example, the moon. The principles of motion and retention are the same: gravity and centrifugal force. Our neighbor is leading in size among all the satellites of the solar system. But, for example, in the same Saturn such natural accompanying as many as 62! And Uranus and Neptune do not have them at all.

So now we know how the satellite differs from the rocket.