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.

Satellite orbit height above earth.

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. The low earth orbit extends from 160km above earth and ends at 2000km. 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. The satellites are pinpoint while stars have created small trails due to earth s rotation.

It is not possible to achieve an orbit below 160km without artificial thrusters due to the atmospheric drag at that altitude. The mean orbital velocity of any satellite that needs to reach an leo should be 7 5km s 27 000km h. The orbit is home to a number of artificial satellites the most common uses include navigation communication and geodetic space environment science. 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 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. As the satellite moves the earth rotates underneath it. 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. 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 satellite at this height takes 12 hours to complete an orbit. Many pieces of debris from this collision were propelled to lower altitudes and are already causing issues at 705 kilometers. The nearer to earth the faster the required orbital velocity. Typically a satellite in such an orbit moves in a near circle about 1000 km 600 miles above ground some go lower but don t last as long because of air friction and each orbit takes about 100.