Satellite

Hello down there. I am a satellite, and I live way, way up high in space. I float and dance all around the big, blue and white Earth. If you look up at the night sky, you might see me moving like a tiny, twinkling star. But I am not a star. I have a very special job to do. I see all the houses and oceans and fluffy clouds. I also see people who live far, far away from each other. My job is to help them feel close, like they are right next door. I am a helper in the sky.

My story started a long, long time ago with my great-grandpa, Sputnik 1. He was the very first satellite made by people. He was a shiny, round ball with long antennas that looked like legs. Very smart people worked hard to build him. They were so excited to send a friend into space. On a special day, October 4th, 1957, a giant rocket gave him a big ride. It went WHOOSH, pushing him up, up, up, past the clouds and into the quiet of space. He was the first person-made moon. He felt so proud and he sent a happy message back to Earth. Beep. beep. beep. He was saying hello to the whole world from above.

Now, I help everyone in many ways. My job is like playing a giant game of catch. When someone sends a cartoon or a song, it zooms up to me. I catch it. Then I gently bounce it back down to a different part of the world. Boing. I help you watch your favorite shows. I help grown-ups talk on the phone to friends who live far away. I also look at the big, puffy clouds and help tell you if it will be a sunny day for the playground. I am a helpful friend, twinkling up high and connecting the world to make it feel like one big family.