As a result geostationary satellites don't move North or South during the day and are permanently fixed above one point on the equator of the Earth. Most video or T.V. communications systems use geostationary satellites. Modern satellites have a mass of several thousand kilograms, compared with just 180 kilograms for Sputnik. Modern satellites are placed in space using launch vehicles like the Arianne Rocket or the Space Shuttle. Once in space, most satellites obtain their power from the Sun using solar panels.
Satellites travelling deep into space often carry additional nuclear power supplies.
Most of the modern satellites orbiting the Earth carry very little fuel, but are in space for many years. Many modern satellites are carried into space using the Space Shuttle. Voyager 2 reached Uranus in 1986. It used both nuclear power and solar power. The closer a satellite is to the Earth the less time it takes to orbit the Earth.