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Do these satellites automatically correct for orbital decay (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orbital_decay https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orbital_decay) and collis
by Someone 5y ago
Do these satellites automatically correct for orbital decay (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orbital_decay https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orbital_decay) and collision avoidance or does that require commands from the ground?
Reading https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/impacts/satellite-drag https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/impacts/satellite-drag, I get the impression that involves ground control (because of those complicated models that get updated all the time)
So, how long will these satellites stay up there without ground control?
- waste_monk 5y agoMy understanding is that (at least for Himawari-8) it is geostationary at a high enough altitude (apogee and perigee) that it should be good for at least a few decades - apparently you actively have to boost geostationary satellites out to a retirement orbit so they don't crowd up the prime real estate. That said, the imaging sensors have a limited lifetime (the satellite platform is designed to be good for ~15 years but the sensor package limits the mission lifetime to 8 years).