To-scale diagram of low, medium and high Earth orbits
Medium Earth orbit (MEO), sometimes called intermediate circular orbit (ICO), is the region of space around the Earth above low Earth orbit (altitude of 2,000 kilometres (Template:Convert/pround mi)) and below geostationary orbit (altitude of 35,786 kilometres (Template:Convert/pround mi)).[1]
The most common use for satellites in this region is for navigation, communication, and geodetic/space environment science.[1] The most common altitude is approximately 20,200 kilometres (Template:Convert/pround mi)), which yields an orbital period of 12 hours, as used, for example, by the Global Positioning System (GPS).[1] Other satellites in medium Earth orbit include Glonass (with an altitude of 19,100 kilometres (Template:Convert/pround mi)) and Galileo (with an altitude of 23,222 kilometres (Template:Convert/pround mi)) constellations.[citation needed] Communications satellites that cover the North and South Pole are also put in MEO.[2]
The orbital periods of MEO satellites range from about 2 to nearly 24 hours.[1] Telstar 1, an experimental satellite launched in 1962, orbits in MEO.[3]
The orbit is home to a number of artificial satellites.[1]
See also[]
- Atmospheric reentry
- Escape velocity
- Geostationary Earth orbit (GEO)
- High Earth orbit (HEO)
- Highly elliptical orbit (HEO)
- International Space Station
- List of orbits
- Low Earth orbit (LEO)
- Satellite phone
- Specific orbital energy examples
- Suborbital spaceflight
Notes[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 "Definitions of geocentric orbits from the Goddard Space Flight Center". User support guide: platforms. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Archived from the original on May 27, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20100527132541/http://gcmd.nasa.gov/User/suppguide/platforms/orbit.html. Retrieved 2012-07-08.
- ↑ Satellite Basics: Solution Benefits
- ↑ Medium Earth Orbit
References[]
Template:Orbits
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