Satellites in orbit around the earth are commonplace.  They are used to transmit television signals, telephone calls, weather data, airplane navigational information, and radio programs.  And, many of today’s cars are equipped with GPS (global positioning satellite) locators that help them get around in traffic!  Manned (and womanned) satellites, such as the Space Shuttle, allow for all types of valuable experimentation and space repair work.  In this article (Satellite Orbit Problems), we look at some of the mathematics and physics behind satellite orbits.  We first answer the question of why satellites orbit by discussing the dynamics of satellites.  Then, we examine typical orbit problems, such as how to establish an orbit and how to move from one orbit to another.  Many example problems and suggestions for further work are provided.

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