Final answer:
The statement is false because satellites and space stations are distinct; satellites can receive and transmit signals but space stations are designed for humans to live in space for extended periods. Satellites, including geosynchronous ones, are critical for global communication, weather tracking, and GPS.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that a satellite is a space station that orbits the Earth, receiving and transmitting signals from earth-based stations over a wide area is false. While satellites do orbit the Earth and are crucial for communication, as they receive TV signals and other data transmissions, a space station is a large spacecraft in orbit where astronauts can live and work for extended periods of time.
Satellites and space stations have different functions and designs; satellites are usually unmanned and can vary in size, from small CubeSats to large communications satellites, whereas space stations like the International Space Station (ISS) are engineered to support human life.
Satellites are instrumental in modern communication, helping to transmit television signals, weather tracking data, and enabling global positioning systems (GPS).
Geosynchronous Earth satellites are particularly significant because they maintain a constant position relative to the Earth's surface, making them ideal for consistent communication coverage. However, not all satellites are in geosynchronous orbit; many are in lower orbits and travel around Earth at high speeds, completing an orbit in roughly 90 minutes.