A geosynchronous orbit is any orbit around Earth with an orbital period matching Earth's rotation, about 23 hours 56 minutes, so a satellite there returns to the same point in the sky at the same time each day. Unlike a geostationary orbit, which is a geosynchronous orbit constrained to zero inclination directly above the equator, a geosynchronous orbit can be inclined, tracing a figure-eight ground track over a fixed range of latitudes. This flexibility makes it useful for satellites serving high-latitude regions poorly covered by a purely equatorial geostationary position.
Facts
Concept Domain Formulated Year Connections
Sources
1. Wikipedia (space and spaceflight articles)
Wikimedia Foundation- Concept Domain: Orbital Mechanics
- Formulated Year: 1929
- Proposed By: Herman Potocnik
Geosynchronous orbit (Wikipedia)
Lead section
A geosynchronous orbit (sometimes abbreviated GSO) is an Earth-centered orbit with an orbital period that matches Earth's rotation on its axis, 23 hours, 56 minutes, and 4 seconds (one sidereal day).
In Group: Earth Orbit Types, Lead sentence
A geosynchronous orbit (sometimes abbreviated GSO) is an Earth-centered orbit with an orbital period that matches Earth's rotation on its axis, 23 hours, 56 minutes, and 4 seconds (one sidereal day).
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