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
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Sources
1. Wikipedia (space and spaceflight articles)
Wikimedia FoundationWikipedia, Geosynchronous orbit, History sectionQuote, Wikipedia, Geosynchronous orbit, History section
In 1929, Herman Potocnik described both geosynchronous orbits in general and the special case of the geostationary Earth orbit in particular as useful orbits for space stations.
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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