There are two main types of satellites - natural and artificial. Natural satellites, also called moons, orbit planets whereas artificial satellites are man-made objects launched into space by rockets. Some key natural satellites include shepherd moons that help maintain planetary rings and Trojan moons that share the same orbit as a larger moon. The first artificial satellite was launched by the Soviet Union in 1957, marking the beginning of space exploration. Artificial satellites now serve various purposes like communications, earth observation, weapons, and astronomy.