Geostationary satellite? Polar Satellite? Astronomy expert required to explain these terms.?

Question

What are the definitions of these terms and how they work. Please don't use wikipedia as I have found it no use. Answer this question if you really know the answer.

Answer 1

As has been said, a geostationary orbit is an orbit where the period (the time it takes the satellite to orbit the Earth) is exactly the same as the time it takes the Earth to rotate once. Assuming the satellite is orbiting above the equator and is orbiting in the same direction as the Earth is turning, then it will remain in exactly the same position above the Earth.

So, the period of the orbit must be 23 hours 56 minutes. (That's slightly less than a day, because the Earth actually does slightly more than one rotation per day, due to the fact that it is orbiting the Sun so the Sun's direction changes slightly each day)

The altitude where you will achieve that period is about 35,000 km above the Earth's surface. I work that out to mean that the satellite would have to be travelling at a speed of just over 10,000 km per hour.

So, for a satellite to be in geostationary orbit, it must...

a) be at an altitude of approx 35,000 km above the surface of the Earth
b) be travelling at approx 10,000 km per hour.
c) be travelling eastward (i.e. in the same direction as the Earth is turning)
d) be orbiting directly above the equator (or it will appear to wander north and south).

A satellite in geostationary orbit is very useful for communications since it effectively sits permanently in the same position in the sky. All satellites used for satellite T.V. for example are in geostationary orbits. Thus you don't have to adjust your satellite dish all the time to point at the satellite. (Actually there are usually several satellites working together, but let's not get into that!)

A Polar satellite is simply a satellite that has an orbit that passes above the North- and South-poles. It does not suggest any specific altitude or direction. In practice this allows the satellite the opportunity to pass over every part of the planet.

Answer 2

A "geostationary" satellite has:
(1) a circular orbit;
(2) an orbit directly above the equator; and
(3) an orbit that takes exactly 24 hours to complete.

The effect of these three things means that the satellite seems to "hover" directly over one spot on the equator at all times.

A polar satellite has an orbit that runs directly north and south, over the earth's poles. A satellite in a polar orbit will (in most cases) pass over or nearly over every spot on the globe during a 24-hour day, as the earth spins beneath it.

Answer 3

Polar means that it is orbiting the earth. Not locked in place above a polar cap, like north or south. That would still be geostationary. At least in AutoCAD, a polar array meant that you make an object orbit another, from any angle, number or speed. So technically, your satellite can follow a path of your choosing.

Some satellites do not follow a straight path either. Most do, but do not all rotate closely to each other, or follow one behind another.

Answer 4

Geostationary Satellite - a satellite whose orbit is synchronized with the rotation of the earth so that it always stays in the same spot above the earth. Example: there might be a telecom satellite directly over New York that stays directly above the city (although it is in space).

Polar Satellite - I think you're asking about a satellite with an orbit that takes it on a 'great circle' route over both the North and South poles of the earth.

Answer 5

Geostationary satellites essentially fall around the earth at the same apparent speed as the earth's surface turns underneath it. They are right above the equator.
Polar satellites use the poles as points to orbit over, so that as the earth turns, they eventually view all parts of the planet.

Answer 6

Geostationary satellites orbit over the earth's equator and they orbit around the earth at the same time period the earth completes one rotation around its axis. Hence the satellite appears stationery w.r.t a particular region on the earth.

Polar satellites on the other hand orbit around the polar axis of the earth making them visible across all parts of the globe.

Answer 7

A geostationary satellite orbits the earth above the equator once every 24 hours. The result of this is that it remains over the same spot on the earth.

A polar satellite passes over the poles, i.e. its orbit is at right angles to the equator.

Hope this helps.
Cheers.

Answer 8

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Answer 9

Geostationary means that the orbit of the satellite matches the Earth's rotation perfectly, so that it always appears to be above the same spot.

Answer 10

I am no astronomy expert I can understand English though.
Geostationary = geological position, stationary above it
Polar Satellite = above one of the poles north/south
As the Earth rotates these satellites stay above the specific site , ie New York and orbit at the same speed as the Earth rotates, seemingly stationary