Satellite Orbit Height Above Earth

The satellites are pinpoint while stars have created small trails due to earth s rotation.

Satellite orbit height above earth.

The satellites orbit in a circular low earth orbit at about 500 km 310 mi altitude in a high inclination orbit for a planned six to twelve month duration. The nearer to earth the faster the required orbital velocity. The semi synchronous orbit is a near circular orbit low eccentricity 26 560 kilometers from the center of the earth about 20 200 kilometers above the surface. The iridium and russian satellites were 790 kilometers above the earth while eos satellites orbit at 705 kilometers.

As the satellite moves the earth rotates underneath it. Many pieces of debris from this collision were propelled to lower altitudes and are already causing issues at 705 kilometers. At an altitude of 124 miles 200 kilometers the required orbital velocity is a little more than 17 000 mph about 27 400 kph. To maintain an orbit that is 22 223 miles 35 786 kilometers above earth the satellite must orbit at a speed of about 7 000 mph 11 300 kph.

A geostationary orbit also referred to as a geosynchronous equatorial orbit geo is a circular geosynchronous orbit 35 786 kilometres 22 236 miles above earth s equator and following the direction of earth s rotation. The mean orbital velocity of any satellite that needs to reach an leo should be 7 5km s 27 000km h. It is not possible to achieve an orbit below 160km without artificial thrusters due to the atmospheric drag at that altitude. Medium earth orbit meo sometimes called intermediate circular orbit ico is the region of space around earth above low earth orbit altitude of 2 000 km 1 243 mi above sea level and below geosynchronous orbit altitude of 35 786 km 22 236 mi above sea level.

The orbit is home to a number of artificial satellites the most common uses include navigation communication and geodetic space environment science. A high earth orbit is a geocentric orbit with an altitude entirely above that of a geosynchronous orbit 35 786 kilometres 22 236 mi. A low altitude polar orbit is widely used for monitoring the earth because each day as the earth rotates below it the entire surface is covered. The satellites communicate with three testing ground stations in washington state and california for short term experiments of less than ten minutes duration roughly daily.