Satellite

A Satellite is a natural or an artificial body in orbit around a world.

• A Satellite World is a satellite that has taken on socioeconomic importance, usually as a mainworld.
• They are commonly known as moons to many.

Description (Specifications)

Artificial Satellites

An artifical satellite is typically a device, a structure or more rarely a small body such as a planetoid placed in orbit around a world in order to act as a platform or a base, to collect information or to relay or send communications.

• Debris or wreckage may orbit a world and be classified as an artificial satellite.

Natural Satellites

A natural satellite, often called a moon, is an astronomical body that orbits a world. Satellites always have a lower mass than their parent world and usually have a smaller diameter.

• In rare cases a world with a small diameter and a high mass may retain a satellite with a larger diameter but a lower mass.
• Worlds and satellites with similar masses and diameters may be referred to as binary planets or Double Worlds.

A satellite and its parent world orbit a barycenter, their center of mass: this is the point around which they both orbit.

• If the parent world has substantially more mass than its satellite, the barycenter will be located within the parent world (such as Terra and Luna in the Sol system).
• If the masses of the two bodies are more equal, the barycenter will lie at some point along the line of their mean separation (such as Pluto and Charon in the Sol system).

History & Background (Dossier)

Numbers and Positions

Satellites are classified as major (created as part of the star system generation sequence) or minor (...almost always very small bodies captured by the parent world, and considered too small or insignificant to have their own separate details within the system description).

• Worlds lying within the inner system have a maximum of 1 major satellite.
• Worlds lying within the habitable zone have a maximum of 2 major satellites.
• Worlds lying within the outer system have a maximum of 3 major satellites.
• Gas giants have a maximum of 5 major satellites. They generally have many additional minor satellites.

A satellite's orbital distance from its parent world is measured in multiples of the parent world's diameter.

• Natural satellites orbiting within 70 diameters of their parent world are tidally locked to that world. Tidally locked satellites do not generally have twilight zones.
• Satellites orbiting their parent world at 70 diameters or more have their own rotation period.

Satellite orbits are identified by alphabetic letters in the following sequence:

Ay-Bee-Cee-Dee-Ee-Eff-Gee-Aitch-Eye-Jay-Kay-Ell-Em-En-Oh-Pee-Que-Arr-Ess-Tee-Yu-Vee-Dub-Ex-Wye-Zee.

Naming Conventions

Satellites may be individually named (such as Terra's satellite Luna), or they may simply be given a designation.

Worlds & Sectors (Astrography)

Satellite Worlds are primarily found in the following areas:

• Charted Space

World Listing: 1105

The following systems and worlds are associated with this astrographic feature:

101 of 101 World articles in Satellite

Adaim  •  Agryx  •  Aiish  •  Akhashmaas  •  Alhena  •  Anselhome  •  Ao-dai  •  Ardchi  •  Argi  •  Argiluu  •  Ashasi  •  Asimidiske  •  Baladine  •  Birii  •  Colmar  •  Coriolanus  •  Darkmoon  •  Datrillian  •  Degushush  •  Dinom  •  Dinzur  •  Dolor  •  Draskeran  •  Duikin Tyui  •  Easter  •  Edinina  •  Eglise  •  Epirus  •  Ersharsa  •  Esui  •  Galishgu  •  Gishu Amkhir  •  Guan  •  Gushnemasha  •  Hades  •  Hoaz  •  Iash  •  Iimkhir  •  Ikaakur  •  Imkhammash  •  Inchin  •  Irashnar  •  Isseydo  •  Jael  •  Kemnagii  •  Kesirisu  •  Khiradu  •  Khuulush  •  Kidashi  •  Krokinole  •  Kubishush  •  Lashgaiika  •  Leonore  •  Liberte  •  Liikirba  •  Likhukam  •  Llewellyn  •  Magash  •  Markhashi  •  Maudhii  •  McKenzie  •  Mikhid  •  Mimsur  •  Mindahm  •  Mirkan  •  Misaruu  •  Nasu  •  Naxx-iygo  •  Nepal-in-Exile  •  Nisinasha  •  Oz  •  Pamnagagur  •  Pamock  •  Paques  •  Quaver  •  Quiru  •  Regina  •  Reshumirak  •  Riiya  •  Shaakhish  •  Shakhii  •  Shani  •  Shapam  •  Sharaa  •  Shardi (Da 3236)  •  Shuada  •  Shéaniki  •  Skyron  •  Sloethu  •  Syzygy  •  Terra Nova  •  Tura  •  Umieh  •  Urud  •  Uurku  •  Whanga  •  Windsor (SM 1935)  •  Zalaana  •  Zila  •  Zukalis  •  Zyra (SM 2934)  •  

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References & Contributors (Sources)

This list of sources was used by the Traveller Wiki Editorial Team and individual contributors to compose this article. Copyrighted material is used under license from Far Future Enterprises or by permission of the author. The page history lists all of the contributions.

• T5 Core Rules
• Traveller Wiki Editorial Team
• Author & Contributor: Lord (Marquis) and Master Scout Emeritus Adie Alegoric Stewart of the IISS
• Author & Contributor: Lord (Marquis) and Master of Sophontology Maksim-Smelchak of the Ministry of Science