Satellite

Every month more of them

Why are they there?

We do not always know. We know they transmit TV radio and internet signals. Customers can use at home, we can use satellite phones going in locations that are remote, like oceans, the dessert and mountain regions.

The Netherlands have four military satellites in the sky, to intercept communication, to scramble data from others, to make communication connections with special objects. They are there for security purpose, 500 kilometers above the surface. They will continuously circling around the earth, where one round takes an hour and a half. The best known is Brik-2 that is a microsatellite. With a size of 30 by 20 by 10 centimeters, it is a small. Pick up radio traffic in certain areas, map out disruptions of radio signals and send messages to radio stations on the ground.

“Communication, positioning, navigation and observation”, the technology uses laser, instead of radio signals to send information from space to earth. With laser they can communicate and transport high speed data.

What they do

They are transmitting signals, receiving signals and are imaging special tasks. Measuring clouds, water, ice, temperatures, making photos from the oceans, forest, and special objects. Many are transmitting WIFI signals.

They are in use by the military, companies, universities. Some are intercepting signals from other satellites, are decoding signals for communication, are in use to prevent other satellites to do the same. They can be in use for geopositioning.

Most of the Satellites are SpaceX, other imaging satellites belong to a company called DigitalGlobe, and their cameras are sharp enough to capture a book on a coffee table. Flashing by for photos dozens of times a day. Spy sats can read the book itself. But at that high resolution, they can only image that book at most 12 times a day.

Another flock of satellites called Scout—can snap a photo of a high- demand spot (say the Port of Rotterdam) 40 times a day. They will be 30-centimeter class, meaning they could resolve a laptop or a TV.

10963 satellites

Where are they

Different layers in orbit. Low satellites like the satellite ‘trains’ from spaceX, at 500 Km distance from earth. Middle and high placed satellites. The frequencies they use are not always public domain. You can download a list of satellites and the frequencies they use.

Satellites can play an important role in the brainhack. For positioning of the target, for transmitting signals, or for secret communication and broadcasting.