SOLAR SYSTEM

Detailed explanation-1: -Satellites can orbit Earth’s equator or go over Earth’s North and South Poles . . . or anything in between. They orbit at a low altitude of just a few hundred miles above Earth’s surface or thousands of miles out in space. The choice of orbit all depends on the satellite’s job.

Detailed explanation-2: -A polar orbit is one in which a satellite passes above or nearly above both poles of the body being orbited (usually a planet such as the Earth, but possibly another body such as the Moon or Sun) on each revolution. It has an inclination of about 60-90 degrees to the body’s equator.

Detailed explanation-3: -Polar orbiting satellites constantly circle the Earth in an almost north-south orbit, passing close to both poles. The POES satellite system offers the advantage of daily global coverage, by making nearly polar orbits 14 times per day approximately 520 miles above the surface of the Earth.

Detailed explanation-4: -This special, high Earth orbit is called geosynchronous. A satellite in a circular geosynchronous orbit directly over the equator (eccentricity and inclination at zero) will have a geostationary orbit that does not move at all relative to the ground. It is always directly over the same place on the Earth’s surface.

Detailed explanation-5: -Satellites in polar orbits usually travel past Earth from north to south rather than from west to east, passing roughly over Earth’s poles. Satellites in a polar orbit do not have to pass the North and South Pole precisely; even a deviation within 20 to 30 degrees is still classed as a polar orbit.

Detailed explanation-6: -The Jason-2 satellite orbits Earth. It carries tools and sensors to help scientists study the oceans. The Sputnik satellite was about the size of a basketball and weighed 183 pounds.

Detailed explanation-7: -How many satellites are in orbit around Earth? Earth has 4, 550 satellites in orbit, as of Sept. 1, 2021.