Satellite Time Dilation Earth

The special relativity induced time dilation due to the relative velocity of the satellite and the decrease in gravitationally induced time dilation described by general relativity due to the increased height above earth.

Satellite time dilation earth.

This effect is only nanoseconds in size near the earth. The proper term for this is time dilation. For gps satellites to work they must adjust for similar bending of spacetime to coordinate properly with systems on earth. Just a little slower.

Let s focus on navigational satellites popularly but incorrectly referred to as gps. The global navigation satellite system is possible because of relativity. For example at the iss time goes slower lagging approximately 0 01 seconds behind for every 12 earth months passed. Time dilation explains why two working clocks will report different times after different accelerations.

A clock on a fast flying satellite appears to run slower when observed from a stationary position on earth. It is possible to observe the combined effect of general and special relativity on an atomic clock on board a gps satellite. The net effect is that the satellite clock is actually faster by 38 microseconds per day. Since the satellite is moving faster than the earth for every day on earth the clock on the satellite shows one day minus 7 microseconds due to time dilation due to special relativity.

However since the earth s gravitational pull is much stronge. If not kept in check the satellites would basically travel to the future technically.