Hatch a Plot to Track… Some Satellites!
Overview
There are literally hundreds of satellites that are currently orbiting
Earth, including the International Space Station. Clearly, satellites are
important in our lives — helping us communicate with one another,
track weather conditions, broadcast live sports, and so on. Moreover,
satellites help illustrate many principles tied to orbiting and gravity. As
such, it is important to track the positions of satellites in orbit as they
circle around our planet. In this activity, students will access an online
directory and tracking database of satellites and plot the locations of
satellites to track their progress in orbit.
Standards Addressed
Gravity is the force that keeps planets in orbit around the sun and
governs the rest of the motion in the solar system. Gravity alone holds
us to the Earth’s surface and explains the phenomena of the tides.
Gravity is the force that keeps planets in orbit around the sun and
governs the rest of the motion in the solar system. Gravity alone holds
us to the Earth’s surface and explains the phenomena of the tides.
Venn Diagram
Positioning
Space Science
Mathematics
Physical Science
Time Required
60 – 90 minutes
Materials
Required
•Computer with Internet
access
•world map
Hatch a Plot to Track… Some Satellites!
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Background & Connection to the ISS
Whether you know it or not, there are several thousand pieces of
man-made space debris (aka space “junk”) orbiting the Earth. Many
of these pieces are leftover parts from rockets used long ago. Many of
them are satellites that are currently used to:
• map the surface of the Earth
• take pictures of storm systems that help us predict the weather
• record temperatures of the ocean waters
• assist in telecommunications so that you can watch MTV or
make overseas phone calls
{ QUOTE OR CALL
OUT HERE?}
• take pictures of planets, stars and galaxies far, far away
• spy on the activities of others
There are four basic types of satellite orbits but each satellite just does
one of them. The four types are:
• Polar orbiting satellites - These satellites orbit from the
North Pole to the South Pole and back to the North Pole,
over and over again. As the Earth spins beneath the satellite,
the satellite takes pictures of a narrow path of the Earth
underneath it.
• Equatorial orbiting satellites - These satellites orbit around the
equator. Their orbits don’t follow the equator exactly — rising
“above” it, dipping “below” it then back again.
• Inclined orbiting satellites - These satellites orbit at an angle as
they go around the Earth.
• Geostationary orbiting satellites - These satellites sit high
above the Earth (about 35,000 km) and stay above the same
place all of the time. (These are the type of orbits that weather
satellites use.)
The ISS is an inclined orbiting satellite, maintaining a low Earth orbit
in a nearly circular path of 51.6 degrees. Its minimum mean altitude
is 330 km (205 miles) and its maximum mean altitude is 410 km
(255 miles). As a manned satellite, the ISS is a great example for
examining the principles and effects of gravity and orbits. Moreover,
its orbital position is influenced by the need to dock periodically with
spacecraft from Earth.
Hatch a Plot to Track… Some Satellites!
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Activity Steps
1. Prompt students to think about and then write down the following (individually into pairs/small
groups).
• What is a satellite?
• What are some examples of satellites?
• Is the International Space Station a satellite? (Why or why not?)
• How far above the Earth do you think satellites typically orbit?
2. Have students go to the glossary on the CASIS Academy microsite and adjust their answers if
need be.
3. As a class, discuss some of what students thought about satellites prior to exploring the glossary
that was confirmed and/or refined as a result of their investigation. As part of the discussion, ask
students if they learned how often the ISS orbits the Earth (nearly 16 times, 15.7 to be exact)
and then ask how long that means it takes the ISS to orbit the Earth (approximately 90 minutes).
End the short discussion by asking students if they think satellites ever collide, and if not how
that is possible (which helps set up the remaining steps).
4. As a class, go to the website, http://www.fourmilab.ch/Earthview/satellite.html Once you get
to this website, you’ll see a window containing the names of over two-dozen satellites that are
currently orbiting the Earth. On the right side of this widow, you’ll see a scroll bar. Scroll down
the list and you’ll see dozens of different satellites.
5. In pairs or small groups, have students select one of the satellites and write its name down.
6. Next, they should click on the button at the bottom of this window that says View Earth From
Satellite. This page shows you what the satellite is currently “seeing.” If the picture is black,
that’s because the satellite is on the night side of the Earth. Along with the picture, you are given
the distance above the Earth that the satellite is currently orbiting. You are also given the latitude
and longitude of the satellite. (See if students notice that the latitude and longitude are given in
degrees and minutes.) Have students write that down.
7. As a class briefly discuss latitude and longitude and its use of degrees and minutes to plot
locations on Earth.
Hatch a Plot to Track… Some Satellites!
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8. Then using the world map, have students plot
the latitude and longitude of the satellite they
selected.
Extensions &
Modifications
9. After they have selected and plotted one
satellite, have them select 3 – 5 more satellites,
recording their name, altitude, and location.
They should use a different colored pen and/or
a symbol for each one.
•A good alternative site is: http://liftoff.msfc.
nasa.gov/realtime/JTrack/Spacecraft.html.
This site is a little more graphic and may
be more enjoyable to the users.
10. After recording the information for each
satellite, students should then research each
one, determining:
• Type of satellite (purpose)
• Years in orbit
• An interesting fact/characteristic
11. Have students recheck the coordinates of each
satellite every five minutes and plot the new
positions of the world map, determining the
orbital path that each satellite seems to be
taking. (Have students extrapolate from the
coordinates.)
12. After 25 – 30 minutes, have students share
some information about their satellites, with
particular emphasis on their orbital paths.
•Another activity that you can do with this
once you get satellite paths charted, is to
determine the velocity of the satellite(s).
This activity incorporates the use of
map scales and dimensional analysis.
Using your ruler, measure the distance
between two plotted points and convert
that distance to miles (or km). Divide this
distance by the time (five minutes if you
are taking readings every five minutes) and
convert to miles per hour (or km per hour).
•To build off the View Earth from Satellite
feature, have students write from the
perspective of the satellite, incorporating
what it “sees” and what its functions are.
Additionally, if you want to add a historic
perspective, challenge students to imagine
what the satellite would have seen in a
different time period and write about it.
•To abridge this lesson, plot one satellite
together as a class and assign each group
one satellite to plot and monitor.
Attribution
Adapted from #1616. Tracking Satellites
Using Latitude and Longitude, by Rick Dees
http://teachers.net/lessons/posts/1616.html
Hatch a Plot to Track… Some Satellites!
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