Satellites have evolved into critical assets in modern military operations, functioning as indispensable tools for communications, surveillance, navigation, and intelligence gathering. As space becomes an increasingly contested domain, military satellites offer key strategic advantages, while also facing growing threats from adversaries. This article provides an introduction to military satellites, their functionality, and their importance in the space domain, with a specific focus on their role in warfare.
What is a Satellite?
A satellite is a human-made object that orbits the Earth or other celestial bodies, typically used to perform specific functions. These functions can range from communications and weather monitoring to military reconnaissance and navigation. In total, over 8,000 satellites orbit the Earth, with more than half actively operating. Satellites are classified into several types based on their mission, including communications satellites (SATCOM), intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) satellites, navigation satellites, and Earth observation satellites.
Each satellite comprises three essential components: the space segment, the ground segment, and the user segment. The space segment includes the satellite itself, which operates beyond the Earth’s atmosphere. The ground segment refers to the infrastructure used to launch, operate, and maintain the satellite, while the user segment pertains to how the satellite’s data is processed and utilised.
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