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It greatly depends on what the satellite is for and who owns it how far up it orbits. Imaging satellites need to be close to the Earth, so they orbit about 130 miles up. Communications satellites are generally at 23,000 miles up. GPS satellites are up about 13,000 miles.
Geostationary satellites typically orbit around the Earth's equator at an altitude of about 35,786 kilometers (22,236 miles). This high orbit allows the satellite to match the Earth's rotation speed, appearing stationary relative to a fixed point on the ground.
The atmosphere has five layers namely the exosphere, the thermosphere, the mesosphere, the stratosphere and the troposphere. The satellites and the space shuttle are found in the thermosphere.
Although there is some thin distribution of atmospheric molecules at satellite distances, it is nearly correct to say that satellites do not travel in the atmosphere at all. When a satellite orbit ... or any part of it ... descends to an altitude that is considered to be part of the atmosphere, the orbit rapidly decays and the satellite falls from orbit, to be completely destroyed by friction with the lower, dense layers of atmosphere.
Satellites do not orbit in the atmosphere. They orbit in space. If they orbited within the atmosphere, they would experience tremendous drag and would not be able to remain in orbit; not to mention the fact that they would burn up.
In any event, the height varies greatly depending on the type of satellite. Imaging satellites need to be close to the Earth, so they orbit about 130 miles up. Communications satellites are generally at 23,000 miles up. GPS satellites are up about 13,000 miles. Some of this places them in the range of the exosphere, which is the outermost layer of the atmosphere that not everyone likes to acknowledge because it so closely resembles space.
LaGrange Points are handy places for this to happen, since they represent places where various gravitational forces are balanced, and objects can remain at these points in stable orbits, as long as perturbations caused by other bodies don't interfere.
Actually geostationary satellites are in a circular orbit directly over the equator at an altitude of about 22,000 miles. The LaGrange points have nothing to do with it.
Any satellite would have to orbit Earth outside the atmosphere. If it orbits a an altitude at which there is still a significant amount of atmosphere, it would quickly lose energy and crash towards Earth.
Most of the satellites in Earth orbit are powered by solar (photovoltaic) panels. There's plenty of sunlight even out as far as Mars.
Space probes farther out, such as the ones around Jupiter or Saturn, or the Voyager probes that are on their way out of the solar system completely, are powered by nuclear reactors.
Satellites are beyond the atmosphere in the vacuum of space. Even at their altitude of 130 miles and higher, there's still enough of an "atmosphere" to slow down the lower satellites and to cause them to crash back to Earth. In fact, most "low Earth orbit" satellites have rocket thrusters to boost them back into the proper orbits when the friction of the almost-vacuum slows them down and drags them closer.
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Why don't launch geostationary satellite for GPS?
GPS satellites are placed in medium Earth orbit (MEO) rather than geostationary orbit because MEO offers better coverage and accuracy for global positioning. Geostationary satellites, which orbit at a fixed point above the equator, would not provide adequate coverage at high latitudes. Also, geostationary orbits are higher up, resulting in longer signal travel times which can reduce GPS accuracy.
Is Geostationary satellites view weather patterns in low Earth orbits over the 2 poles of the Earth?
Geostationary satellites are positioned over the equator, providing continuous coverage of a specific region on Earth, but they do not have a direct view of the poles. Low Earth orbit satellites, on the other hand, can capture images of the poles as they pass over them in their orbit. These satellites give a more comprehensive view of weather patterns over the entire Earth, including the poles.
What type of satellite orbits the earth at 22300 miles above the earth?
A satellite in a geostationary orbit orbits the Earth at around 22,300 miles above the equator. Geostationary satellites appear to be stationary in the sky relative to a fixed point on the Earth's surface, making them ideal for communication and weather monitoring.
What are earth's artificial sateillites?
Artificial satellites orbiting Earth are man-made objects launched into space for various purposes such as communication, weather monitoring, navigation, and scientific research. They can be either in geostationary or low Earth orbit, and examples include the Hubble Space Telescope, GPS satellites, and communications satellites.
Do all satellites orbit the same direction?
No, not all satellites orbit in the same direction. Most satellites orbit the Earth in the same direction as the Earth's rotation, which is counterclockwise when viewed from above the North Pole. However, some satellites have orbits that are polar, meaning they orbit in a north-south direction relative to the Earth's rotation.
Why communication satellites are stationed geostationary orbits?
the communication satellites take 24 hours to complete their one revolution around the earthso the orbit of revolving satellite is called geostationary orbit.
Do all space satellites stay in the thermosphere?
No. That only applies to low Earth orbit. Geostationary satellites orbit beyond it.
What type of orbit is used by gps satellites subsynchronous or sunsynchronous?
Geostationary satellites are the ones used for GPS satellites.
What is a geostationary satellite?
Geostationary is the moving orbit in the plane of the equator. Geostationary satellites are 22,300 miles above the Earths surface, and remain stationary at a fixed point. Weather and communication satellites are examples of geostationary satellites.
What is the name of the orbit that allows satellites to orbit the earth but yet appear stationary?
The Earth orbit in which satellites appear to be stationary is called the, "Geostationary Orbit". Some call it a synchronous orbit.
What are placed into orbit above the equator and used to predict weather?
Geostationary satellites.Geostationary satellites.
Do the satellites orbit earth in the exosphere?
Satellites orbit Earth in the thermosphere and exosphere, which are the upper layers of the Earth's atmosphere. The exosphere is the outermost layer of the atmosphere where most satellites, particularly those in geostationary orbit, are found.
How far above the earth is geostationary orbit?
Geostationary satellites are in an orbit that's 22,282 mi (35,786 km) above the surface of the Earth. For more on Geostationary satellite orbits, visit http://www.idirect.net/Company/Satellite-Basics/How-Satellite-Works.aspx
What are two artificial satellites that orbit New Zealand?
Satellites cannot orbit one country. They may remain in geostationary orbit, but only at the equator. Therefore no satellite stays above only New Zealand.
What are the most important uses of geostationary satellites?
Geostationary satellites orbit in a constant position relative to the surface of the planet. They generally follow the Clarke Belt, named in honor of Arthur C. Clarke, which is about 22,300 miles above the equator.
What can you say about the orbit time of a satellite in lower orbit then geostationary one?
Its closer to the earth. Can say much more without know the velocity of the satellites
What is a non Geo stationary satellite?
A non-geostationary satellite is a satellite that does not orbit the Earth in sync with its rotation, like geostationary satellites do. Non-geostationary satellites can have a variety of orbits, such as low Earth orbit or medium Earth orbit, and are often used for tasks like remote sensing, global communication, or scientific research.
