what is a satellite

A satellite is an object intentionally placed into orbit around a celestial body. There are two kinds of satellites: natural, such as the moon orbiting the Earth, and artificial, which are man-made machines launched into space and orbit Earth or another body in space. Artificial satellites have a variety of uses, including communication relay, weather forecasting, navigation (GPS), broadcasting, scientific research, and Earth observation. They can also be used for reconnaissance, early warning, signals intelligence, and weapon delivery. Some satellites are used for in-flight phone communications on airplanes and provide the primary timing source for cell phones and pagers