A circular orbit about 35,786 kilometers above Earth's equator where a satellite's orbital period matches Earth's rotation, so it appears to hang stationary over a fixed point on the ground. It is the standard orbit for communications and weather satellites.
Facts
Concept Domain Formulated YearYear Arthur C. Clarke published the idea of using this orbit for communications relays. Proposed ByClarke popularised and expanded the concept of geostationary communications satellites in a 1945 article, though the underlying orbital mechanics had been described earlier. Connections
Associated With
Earth, Celestial Objects A geostationary orbit is a circular orbit above Earth's equator that matches Earth's rotation.
Source Wikipedia (space and spaceflight articles)
Source Wikipedia (space and spaceflight articles)
Sources
1. Wikipedia (space and spaceflight articles)
Wikimedia FoundationGeostationary orbit, History section
British science fiction author Arthur C. Clarke popularised and expanded the concept
- Associated With: Orbital Mechanics
- Associated With: Orbital Inclination
View the Source 2. Encyclopedia Britannica: Space Exploration
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