Question: What are the main components in a satelite

Alexander Finch answered on 6 Dec 2015:

Hello!

There are several main ones, that all need to work together. All satellites have:
* A power system, to make and store electricity.
* A communications system, to allow us to control it and so it can send us the data it has generated
* An “attitude control” system, which is responsible for working out which way the satellite is pointing (not always easy when there is no “ground”!), and to make sure it’s looking where it needs to
* A thermal control system, which is needed to warm or cool the satellite. The bits that the sun hit get super hot, like a car does on a sunny day, but everything else gets freezing cold, so a system is needed to balance it all out.
* The payload, which is the thing that makes the satellite do something useful – like a transmitter or camera or radar.

All of these systems are important, and each is made from dozens of components working.