Sprite scaled and distorted after loading - Three.js - three.js

Question

I'm quite new to three.js, building 3d globe with satellite sprite moving around it.
The problem is - sprite image gets distorted after loading - aspect ratio is ignored and initial scale is about 5x of its size. I'm downscaling manually but the image gets distorted as I pick numbers manually for each axis e.g. satelliteSprite.scale.set(0.14, 0.075, 1);
My satellite image:
I have 2 questions here:
How do I load it correctly so at least aspect ratio will be
respected?
When I add AxesHelper to the sprite why its not aligned to the image plane?
original <img> vs downscaled sprite (0.1, 0.1, 0.1):
my code for satellite, earth, camera here:
//.........SPRITE
var satelliteTexture = new THREE.TextureLoader().load('assets/img/sections/section-astronaut/small-satellite.png');
var satelliteSprite = new THREE.Sprite(new THREE.SpriteMaterial({
map: satelliteTexture,
color: 0xffffff,
fog: false
}));
satelliteSprite.scale.set(0.14, 0.075, 1);
satelliteSprite.position.setFromSpherical(new THREE.Spherical().set(0.565, Math.PI * 2 - 0.9, Math.PI * 2 + 0.5));
earth.add(satelliteSprite);
window['satelliteSprite'] = satelliteSprite;
var axesHelperSatelliteSprite = new THREE.AxesHelper(5);
satelliteSprite.add(axesHelperSatelliteSprite);
//..........CAMERA
var camera = window['camera'] = new THREE.PerspectiveCamera(45, width / height, 0.01, 100);
camera.position.z = 1.5;
//..........EARTH
var earth = window['earth'] = new THREE.Mesh(
new THREE.SphereGeometry(earthRadius, earthSegments, earthSegments),
new THREE.MeshPhongMaterial({
map: THREE.ImageUtils.loadTexture('assets/img/sections/section-astronaut/2_no_clouds_4k.jpg'),
bumpMap: THREE.ImageUtils.loadTexture('assets/img/sections/section-astronaut/elev_bump_4k.jpg'),
bumpScale: 0.002,
specularMap: THREE.ImageUtils.loadTexture('assets/img/sections/section-astronaut/water_4k.png'),
specular: new THREE.Color(0x111111),
wireframe: false
})
);
earth.rotation.x = 0.4;
earth.rotation.y = -1.95;

Answer 1

1) create square png texture with transparency so it will not get stretched/distorted and now you can scale equally for each axis e.g. satelliteSprite.scale.set(0.08, 0.08, 0.08)
2) set filters and anisotropy for the texture
satelliteTexture.anisotropy = renderer.capabilities.getMaxAnisotropy();
satelliteTexture.minFilter = satelliteTexture.magFilter = THREE.LinearFilter;
satelliteTexture.minFilter = satelliteTexture.magFilter = THREE.NearestFilter;