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A geostationary orbit achieved by being in a location where the satellite's orbital period is 24 hours. This means the satellite is about 36,000 km (22,000 miles) above the Earth's surface. All orbits must therefore be over the equator. Every orbit around the earth looks like a circular (or elliptical) ring whose center (or one foci) is at the center of gravity of the Earth. An orbit exactly above the equator is one such orbit, but any orbit can be tilted as long as the center (or focus) stays at the Earth's center and the whole orbit is flat like a disk. On various NASA maps this makes the orbit look like a sinewave, but on a globe it stays a flat circle (or ellipse). On "Star Trek" I have seen errors a number of times on "Geostationary orbit over the North Pole", well you can't do that. Likewise, a "Lunar-stationary orbit" is impossible for a spacecraft, since Earth itself is already IN THE STATIONARY ORBIT POSITION! Remember that a geostationary orbit looks like it is always over the same spot on the Earth (or other body). If you were on the Moon, the Earth would be in the same position in the sky at all times.

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16y ago
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14y ago

At too low an altitude, atmospheric drag robs kinetic energy from the satellite's motion,
and makes it impossible for the satellite to maintain orbit.

The minimum practical orbital altitude is something like 175 miles above the earth's surface.
Even at that altitude, a satellite doesn't last long . . . only a few days.

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11y ago

Geostationary Orbit is calculated by the rotation of the Earth. In effect the earth is rotating at a specific velocity on its own axis. The Geostationary Satellite is orbiting the earth and falling at the same time. It is moving just faster around the planet than it is falling. In effect it is like being held up on a pole from a specific place on earth. It then has to be travelling just fast than the earth's rotation in order for it to stay on top of that pole.

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13y ago

The whole idea of a geosynchronous satellite is for it to stay over the same spot of planet Earth.

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Q: Why does a geosynchronous satellite not trace a path over the surface of Earth?
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Why doesnt a geostationary satellite trace a path over the surface of the earth?

A geostationary satellite does not trace a path over the surface of the earth because that is what geostationary means - the satellite is stationary over a point on the Earth.


What percent of Earth's water is dirty?

What do you mean "dirty"? A vanishingly small trace of all water on Earth is chemically pure; even water that's naturally clean enough to drink (some springs, rainfall) has trace amounts of contaminants in it. By that standard, 100% of Earth's water is "dirty".


What part of speech is the word trace?

Trace is a verb and a noun.Verb: The boy traced the picture.Noun: The ship disappeared without a trace.


How do you use atmosphere in a sentene?

The atmosphere is a thin layer of gases surrounding Earth which includes nitrogen, oxygen, argon, carbon dioxide and a trace amount of other gases.


What is it called when the earth makes a complete turn on the axis?

The Earth doesn't wobble around its rotation axis. The rotation axis itself rotates,so that the Earth's poles trace around a 23.5-degree circle in the sky, every 26,000years. The term that describes it is "precession".The Earth doesn't wobble around its rotation axis. The rotation axis itself rotates,so that the Earth's poles trace around a 23.5-degree circle in the sky, every 26,000years. The term that describes it is "precession".The Earth doesn't wobble around its rotation axis. The rotation axis itself rotates,so that the Earth's poles trace around a 23.5-degree circle in the sky, every 26,000years. The term that describes it is "precession".

Related questions

Why doesnt a geostationary satellite trace a path over the surface of the earth?

A geostationary satellite does not trace a path over the surface of the earth because that is what geostationary means - the satellite is stationary over a point on the Earth.


What are the occurrences of a diamond?

Diamonds are generally found near kimberlite and other trace minerals that indicate a volcanic pipe where diamonds have erupted to the earth's surface.


When you trace one surface of a cone or cylinder you see me what am i?

circle


Why do different diamonds have different colors?

Diamond colour comes from inclusions in the stone of a trace mineral, or by alterations in electrons experienced by the stone as it erupted from deep within the earth's mantle to the surface.


Is streak in metals?

Some metals left a trace on a rough surface.


Why a sattellite is said to be in free fall?

Imagine firing a handgun while standing on earth with no one or thing around for the bullet to hit. The bullet will speed out of the gun, and as it moves it will trace out a curve as it gradually gets pulled to earth by the earth's gravity, and loses speed because of air resistance. It wil then fall to earth perhaps several hundred yards away. Now imagine climbing up a tall tower and doing the same thing with a high velocity rifle. The bullet will travel faster from the rifle than from the handgun but will still eventually fall to the ground under gravity and slow down because of air resistance, but in this case, the bullet might travel a mile or two before falling to the ground, and the curve its path of flight traces out will be much larger. Now imagine the satellite. When launched, the satellite travels fast like the bullet, but it will not slow down like the bullet because, as the satellite is launched into space, there is no air resistance as there is no air there. Similarly the speed at which the satellite is launched is sufficient for it to continue to fall to earth, just like the bullet, but in the satellite's case the curve it traces out is exactly the same as the curve of the earth. So, the satellite continues to freefall to earth, just like the bullets, but as the curve of the earth is exactly the same as the curve of the satellite's path, the satellite will never reach the earth. It's as if the earth was 'moving away' from the satellite as fast as it was falling towards it. This is what is meant by 'going into orbit' and it is why satellites and spacecraft have to escape the earth at great speed if they are to go into orbit. If they did not have the speed required (called the 'escape velocity') their curve of trajectory would be too small and they would fall back to earth before going into orbit.


What are geographical conditions where diamonds can be found?

The conditions are not so much geographical as they are geological. Since diamonds are erupted to the earth's surface by a specific type of volcanism with other trace minerals, geologists look for these trace minerals. Kimberlite is a rock produced by this type of volcanism, and is where diamonds are found in, or eroded from. Only about one in 200 kimberlite-trace-mineral sites include diamonds.


What is the ore of the diamond?

Diamonds are found in the earth in the soil, together with stones of trace minerals indicating that the volcanic pipe that erupted the contents to the surface may contain diamond stones. Diamonds are composed of carbon.


Can you trace the energy we use on earth to plants and sunlight?

ewan


Why do satellites fly in a wave pattern?

You're describing the wavelike line that shows up on the maps at mission control when theyplot the path of the spacecraft that they've just launched.Try to imagine this:The satellite is circling the earth at a constant rate ... say one orbit every couple of hours. At the same time,the earth is rotating under the satellite, one complete spin every 24 hours.Add these two motions together, and you'll see that a point on the ground ... if it always stays directly UNDERthe satellite ... will trace that 'wave' shape on the ground.


How are diamonds found and taken from the ground?

Diamonds erupt to the surface of the earth by way of volcanic pipes, which bring not only diamonds, but other trace minerals to the surface. Over time, humans spot either diamonds or the trace minerals on the surface and determine ways to follow the 'trail' of materials to the volcanic pipe. Once the pipe is located, a diamond mine is established and the process proceeds to mine for diamonds. You can read the article, below, to learn more about how diamonds are taken from the ground.


How do people get the location to mine for diamonds?

Prospectors in search of diamonds require either title to the land, or permission from the land owner to prospect for diamonds. Diamond pipes are discovered by geologists trained to identify trace minerals that are blasted to the earth's surface, sometimes with diamonds. You can read more about pipes and trace minerals, below.