Which orbit type provides geostationary satellites that appear fixed relative to the Earth?

Which orbit type provides geostationary satellites that appear fixed relative to the Earth?

• A. Medium Earth Orbit
• B. Geostationary Orbit
• C. Low Earth Orbit
• D. Polar Orbit

Answer: (B)

Geostationary orbit means the satellite stays fixed relative to the Earth because its orbital period matches the planet’s rotation and it sits above the equator. At about 35,786 kilometers up, a satellite in this orbit completes one revolution in roughly a sidereal day, so as the Earth turns, the satellite stays over the same longitude and appears fixed in the sky to ground observers. Other orbit types don’t share this property. They have shorter orbital periods or inclined paths, so the satellite moves across the sky or crosses latitudes (in the case of polar orbits), and therefore does not remain stationary relative to a single point on Earth.

Geostationary orbit means the satellite stays fixed relative to the Earth because its orbital period matches the planet’s rotation and it sits above the equator. At about 35,786 kilometers up, a satellite in this orbit completes one revolution in roughly a sidereal day, so as the Earth turns, the satellite stays over the same longitude and appears fixed in the sky to ground observers.

Other orbit types don’t share this property. They have shorter orbital periods or inclined paths, so the satellite moves across the sky or crosses latitudes (in the case of polar orbits), and therefore does not remain stationary relative to a single point on Earth.