Satellite

For natural satellites, see moon .

Satellites were constructed objects sent into planetary orbit for various reasons.

History

In October 1957, the Soviet Union launched Earth's first artificial satellite Sputnik into space. (AUDIO: Unregenerate!)

Later in the 1950s, the Soviet Union "space dog" Laika was sent into Earth orbit. According to one account, Laika died in space. The Third Doctor and Sarah Jane Smith buried her on Quiescia. (PROSE: Alien Bodies) According to another account, Laika was rescued by an alien entity and given human level intelligence and human voice (taken from cosmonaut Marinka Talanov). The Sixth Doctor and Peri Brown encountered her on 10 November 1963. (AUDIO: 1963: The Space Race)

In 1959, CIA agents Jerome Weismuller and Hawk were assigned to find a US satellite that had gone haywire. It had been hit by a Nostalgia Tours bus. The Seventh Doctor recovered the satellite and gave it to the agents. (TV: Delta and the Bannermen)

In 1966, an alien satellite of the Chameleons, 150 miles above Earth, was the base of a massive Earthlings kidnapping system. (TV: The Faceless Ones)

In the 1970s, satellite time was of high value. Richard Dunbar offered the Fourth Doctor ten minutes of satellite communication time with which to contact an Antarctica team. (TV: The Seeds of Doom)

In the mid-late 2000s the Master, under the guise of Harold Saxon, created a range of satellites called the Archangel Network. (TV: The Sound of Drums/Last of the Time Lords)

By the year 200,000, Earth had five moons, four possibly being artificial and possibly including Satellite Five, which was a space station despite its name. (TV: The Long Game)

Up until the year 5,000,000,000, the National Trust used gravity satellites to hold back Sol's expansion, but these were turned off when the Trust no longer had the funds to keep them operating. (TV: The End of the World)

Other realities

In a parallel world, the Earth had a range of satellites called the Guinevere satellites. (TV: Turn Left)

Behind the scenes

• Satellites on the lunar surface act as obstacles in Level 3 of the online game Doctor In A Dash where, as with all levels, the Doctor's TARDIS (the player) races against a Dalek flying saucer, a Judoon rocket, and a Slitheen craft to find a Space-Time Manipulator.