Thermosphere and the exosphere
exosphere
A low Earth orbit is an orbit still in the outermost part of Earth's atmosphere. This kind of orbit occurs a few hundred kilometers into the atmosphere.
Manned satellites orbit in the thermosphere, from about 53 to 500 miles above the Earth.
Exosphere
SatellitesSatellites orbit in outer space, not in the earth. They are sent to outer space where the gravitational pull of the earth pulls them around, just as the earth is pulled around the sun in a similar manner. The layer is the exosphere. 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.
If they are in the atmosphere (low earth orbit), satellites are in the ionosphere. If they are in higher orbits, satellites are considered to be outside the atmosphere.
thermosphere
exosphere
exosphere
Most communications satellites operate outside of the earth's atmosphere. The GPS satellites are about 23,000 miles from the surface of the earth.
A low Earth orbit is an orbit still in the outermost part of Earth's atmosphere. This kind of orbit occurs a few hundred kilometers into the atmosphere.
Manned satellites orbit in the thermosphere, from about 53 to 500 miles above the Earth.
The ionosphere
Thermosphere
Exosphere
Satellites should orbit the earth above the atmosphere. If satellites fall down into the atmosphere, every time they hit an air molecule, it will make them hotter. If they hit enough air molecules, it will make them real hot and slow them down. Then like a flaming meteor, they burn up as they streak across the sky.
It is called a low earth orbit