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Chasing Down a Satellite

Curated and Reviewed by Lesson Planet
This Chasing Down a Satellite article also includes:

Calculate the speed of the International Space Station. By reading the article, pupils learn about the concept of orbits. Scholars work through a formula to determine how fast the International Space Station is traveling to stay in orbit. They use the same formula to determine the altitude a satellite must be to be geosynchronous.

9 Views 11 Downloads NGSS: Adaptable
Concepts
satellites, orbiting, gravity, the international space station, the solar system, gravitation
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Additional Tags
science
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Instructional Ideas
  • Use the link to determine when the next time the International Space Station is visible in your area
  • Research about the Mars Sample Return mission
Classroom Considerations
  • Assumes the class has some understanding of gravity
Pros
  • Provides answers to the asked questions
  • Includes diagrams to illustrate Newton's explanation of how an object can orbit the Earth
Cons
  • None