DIFFERENT TYPES OF SATELLITES | GENERAL CLASSIFICATION


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Anti-Satellite weapons/"Killer Satellites":
Anti-Satellite weapons/"Killer Satellites" are satellites that are designed to destroy enemy warheads, satellites, and other space assets.
Astronomical satellites:
Astronomical satellites are satellites used for observation of distant planets, galaxies, and other outer space objects.

Biosatellites:
Biosatellites are satellites designed to carry living organisms,generally for scientific experimentation.
Communications satellites:
Communications satellites are satellites stationed in space for the purpose of telecommunications. Modern communications satellites typically use geosynchronous orbits, Molniya orbits or Low Earth
orbits.
Miniaturized satellites;
Miniaturized satellites are satellites of unusually low masses and
small sizes. New classifications are used to categorize these satellites: minisatellite (500–100 kg),
microsatellite (below 100 kg), nanosatellite (below 10 kg).
Navigational satellites:
Navigational satellites are satellites which use radio time signals transmitted to enable mobile receivers onthe ground to determine their exact location. The relatively clear line of sight between the satellites and
receivers on the ground, combined with ever-improving electronics, allows satellite navigation systems to
measure location to accuracy



on the order of a few meters in real time.
Reconnaissance satellites:
Reconnaissance satellites are Earth observation satellite or communications satellite deployed for military or intelligence applications. Very little is known about the full power of these satellites, as governments who operate them usually keep information pertaining to their reconnaissance satellites classified.
Earth observation satellites:
Earth observation satellites are satellites intended for non-military uses such as environmental monitoring,meteorology, map making etc. (See especially Earth Observing System.)
Tether satellites:
Tether satellites are satellites which are connected to another satellite by a thin cable called a tether.
Weather satellites are primarily used to monitor Earth's weather and climate.
Recovery satellites:
Recovery satellites are satellites that provide a recovery of reconnaissance, biological, space-production and other payloads from orbit to Earth.
Manned spacecraft (spaceships):
Manned spacecraft (spaceships) are large satellites able to put humans into (and beyond) an orbit, and
return them to Earth. Spacecraft including space planes of reusable systems have major propulsion or landing
facilities. They can be used as transport to and from the orbital stations.