Sky skimmers: The race to fly satellites in the lowest orbits yet

In the sky, a new space race continues. Here, where the space begins, companies are trying to create a new class of courageous satellite. Not enough aircraft nor low -found satellites, these Sky Skimers are designed to run in an unused region around our planet, which has potentially many benefits to the offer. –

About 10,000 The satellites are still circling our planet at speeds of up to 17,000mph (27,000 km per hour). Each of these delicate contradictions are in a permanent fall, and if they were not for a sparkling speed, they would have fallen straight to the ground. This is a lot of speed of them, which is quite stable against the Earth’s gravity, which is based on satellites.

The purpose of a new class of satellites is to advance the boundaries of this balance and, more uncertain, to plow the lower orbit that will eliminate the peak of the Earth’s environment. Vleo is known as the orbit of the Earth, at these heights the spacecraft has to fight against the air significantly more from the air in the upper parts of the environment. More than their high cousinsDo not pushing them out of the sky. If they should manage it, however, such satellites can get the jaw-falling object-they can potentially fly forever.

“When you start to explain it to people, it starts to raise a voice like a machine,” says Spence Wayz, senior vice president of the Red Wire in Florida. Is a permanent movement machine Is not possible. But this is almost in this example.

A handful of pioneer companies have begun work on satellites’ designs that may be able to rotate the planet at unusually low heights while simultaneously harvest the air and use it to make it propelle – literally As on the fly. This new generation of orbit can enable the ultra -high definition monitoring, or superficial satellite -based communication.

If you want to send something to orbit, you have to decide how high your satellite is. Earth orbit is usually described in terms of height and is classified in Different parts. Most of all, about 22,000 miles (36,000 km) and above the high ground orbit. Here, satellites enter a geographical position, meaning they always live above the same place on Earth. For example, it is useful for telecommunication and weather monitoring. Then there is a medium -sized orbit, less than 22,000 miles (36,000 km), with a surface of the planet 1,200 miles (2,000 km). Below it is the lower orbit of the soil, which extends to 250 miles (400 km), where the International Space Station (ISS) is found.

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