Where do geostationary satellites usually orbit?

Answer 1

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.

Answer 2

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.

Answer 3

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.

Answer 4

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.

Answer 5

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.

Answer 6

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.

Answer 7

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.

Answer 8

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.

Answer 9

Satellites don't orbit in the atmosphere. period.

Answer 10

Satellites, orbit in outer space. They do not orbit in the Earth's Atmosphere.