Circular orbit above Earth's Equator and following the direction of Earth's rotation
For broader coverage of this topic, see Geosynchronous orbit.
Two geostationary satellites in the same orbitA 5° × 6° view of a part of the geostationary belt, showing several geostationary satellites. Those with inclination 0° form a diagonal belt across the image; a few objects with small inclinations to the Equator are visible above this line. The satellites are pinpoint, while stars have created star trails due to Earth's rotation.
A geostationary orbit, also referred to as a geosynchronous equatorial orbit[a] (GEO), is a circular geosynchronous orbit 35,786 km (22,236 mi) in altitude above Earth's equator, 42,164 km (26,199 mi) in radius from Earth's center, and following the direction of Earth's rotation.
An object in such an orbit has an orbital period equal to Earth's rotational period, one sidereal day, and so to ground observers it appears motionless, in a fixed position in the sky. The concept of a geostationary orbit was popularised by the science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke in the 1940s as a way to revolutionise telecommunications, and the first satellite to be placed in this kind of orbit was launched in 1963.
Communications satellites are often placed in a geostationary orbit so that Earth-based satellite antennas do not have to rotate to track them but can be pointed permanently at the position in the sky where the satellites are located. Weather satellites are also placed in this orbit for real-time monitoring and data collection, and navigation satellites to provide a known calibration point and enhance GPS accuracy.
Geostationary satellites are launched via a temporary orbit, and placed in a slot above a particular point on the Earth's surface. The orbit requires some stationkeeping to keep its position, and modern retired satellites are placed in a higher graveyard orbit to avoid collisions.
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and 27 Related for: Geostationary orbit information
A geostationaryorbit, also referred to as a geosynchronous equatorial orbit (GEO), is a circular geosynchronous orbit 35,786 km (22,236 mi) in altitude...
A geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) or geosynchronous transfer orbit is a type of geocentric orbit. Satellites that are destined for geosynchronous (GSO)...
special case of geosynchronous orbit is the geostationaryorbit (often abbreviated GEO), which is a circular geosynchronous orbit in Earth's equatorial plane...
the graveyard orbit is a few hundred kilometers beyond the operational orbit. The transfer to a graveyard orbit beyond geostationaryorbit requires the...
period as the Martian surface. Areostationary orbit is a concept similar to Earth's geostationaryorbit (GEO). The prefix areo- derives from Ares, the...
mean geostationary. Specifically, geosynchronous Earth orbit (GEO) may be a synonym for geosynchronous equatorial orbit, or geostationary Earth orbit. To...
a day. Thus, a geostationaryorbit is defined as a geosynchronous orbit at zero inclination. Geosynchronous (and geostationary) orbits have a semi-major...
equator and the other end attached to a counterweight in space beyond geostationaryorbit (35,786 km altitude). The competing forces of gravity, which is stronger...
of its orbit, providing a high angle of view to communications and monitoring satellites covering these high-latitude areas. Geostationaryorbits, which...
and military applications. Many communications satellites are in geostationaryorbit 22,236 miles (35,785 km) above the equator, so that the satellite...
out a small figure-eight shape in the sky. A geostationaryorbit is a special case of geosynchronous orbit with no inclination, and therefore no apparent...
velocity Geostationary Earth orbit (GEO) High Earth orbit (HEO) Highly elliptical orbit (HEO) Graveyard orbit International Space Station List of orbits Low...
Higher orbits include medium Earth orbit (MEO), sometimes called intermediate circular orbit (ICO), and further above, geostationaryorbit (GEO). Orbits higher...
the orbited planet's equator. For synchronous satellites orbiting Earth, this is also known as a geostationaryorbit. However, a synchronous orbit need...
region. Tundra and Molniya orbits are used to provide high-latitude users with higher elevation angles than a geostationaryorbit. This is desirable as broadcasting...
to raise a satellite's orbit from low Earth orbit to geostationaryorbit. In the idealized case, the initial and target orbits are both circular and coplanar...
mission to Venus. Geostationary spacecraft require an orbit in the plane of the equator. Getting there requires a geostationary transfer orbit with an apogee...
geosynchronous satellite is the geostationary satellite, which has a geostationaryorbit – a circular geosynchronous orbit directly above the Earth's equator...
Wireless World in 1945. The first satellite to successfully reach geostationaryorbit was Syncom3, built by Hughes Aircraft for NASA and launched on August...
A geocentric orbit, Earth-centered orbit, or Earth orbit involves any object orbiting Earth, such as the Moon or artificial satellites. In 1997, NASA estimated...
For geostationary satellites, the launch vehicle typically carries the spacecraft to Geostationary Transfer Orbit, or GTO. From this elliptical orbit, the...
climate of the Earth. Satellites can be polar orbiting (covering the entire Earth asynchronously), or geostationary (hovering over the same spot on the equator)...
periods of time. This makes these elliptical orbits useful for communications satellites. Geostationaryorbits cannot serve high latitudes because their...
practical importance is the allocation of slots for satellites in geostationaryorbit. This is managed by the International Telecommunication Union. The...
orbit" or a "geosynchronous transfer orbit". The satellite must then provide thrust to bring forth the needed delta v to reach a geostationaryorbit....
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