GEO (geostationary Earth orbit)
Geostationary orbit (GEO) is the circular orbit 35,786 km above the equator where a satellite's period exactly matches Earth's rotation, so it appears fixed over one spot.
This is where most large weather, television and communications satellites sit, letting ground antennas aim at a single, unchanging point in the sky.
A satellite in GEO takes 24 hours to complete one orbit and always stays above the same longitude on the equator.
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Related terms
- Geostationary satellite — A geostationary satellite orbits 35,786 km above the equator in step with Earth's rotation, so from the ground it appears to hang motionless in the sky.
- MEO — Medium Earth orbit (MEO) is the band from about 2,000 km up to the geostationary altitude of 35,786 km, best known as the home of navigation satellites.
- Orbital period — The orbital period is the time a satellite takes to complete one full orbit, set almost entirely by its altitude.
