dipper@utastro.UUCP (Debbie Byrd) (08/08/85)
Today in Geneva a meeting begins which may determine the basis for rights in geostationary orbits. More about these orbits -- after this. August 8 Space WARC Space WARC begins today in Geneva. That's W-A-R-C, for World Administrative Radio Conference. Representatives from more than 120 countries will be there, in part to discuss who owns the rights to geostationary orbits. There are an infinite number of possible orbits around the Earth. Geostationary orbits are very special because a satellite in such an orbit remains fixed above a particular spot on the Earth's equator. This is highly desirable for many purposes -- especially communications. The farther a satellite is from the Earth's surface, the slower it moves. Satellites about 22 thousand miles away need 24 hours to go around the Earth. The satellite goes around Earth at exactly the same rate that Earth is spinning under the satellite. If the satellite's orbit is right over the Earth's equator, it also has no north or south motion -- so the satellite stays right over a fixed spot on the equator. So as not to interfere with each other, the geostationary satellites have to be spaced out in a limited number of very valuable slots. A few years ago, some countries along Earth's equator claimed that the slots for these orbits were part of their air space -- -- though they're 22,000 miles up -- that this space should more or less belong to them. Other countries don't agree with that idea, and attendees at the conference beginning today in Geneva will discuss the issue and hopefully work out a plan. It's all fairly new ground -- since we're only now beginning to utilize space. It'll be interesting to see what happens. Script by Deborah Byrd. (c) Copyright 1984, 1985 McDonald Observatory, University of Texas at Austin