Satellites remain in orbit by balancing their high-speed forward inertia with the downward pull of Earth's gravity. When launched by a rocket, a satellite is accelerated horizontally to thousands of kilometers per hour. As gravity pulls it downward, the Earth's surface curves away at the exact same rate, causing the satellite to continuously fall around the planet without hitting it. Once in position, onboard solar panels generate electrical power for internal systems, while transponders, antennas, and scientific sensors receive, process, and transmit data back to ground stations across the globe.