A geostationary orbit matches the Earth’s rotation and latitude, allowing satellites to appear stationary in the sky. Geosynchronous orbits are inclined to the equator and cause satellites to move up and down in latitude. Arthur C. Clarke is credited with developing the concept. Geostationary objects must be 22,236 miles from Earth’s surface. There is only one circle around the world where geostationary conditions occur, limiting “real estate” for satellites.
A geostationary orbit is one in which the rate at which a satellite orbits the Earth coincides with the rate at which the Earth spins and at the same latitude, specifically zero, the latitude of the equator. This doesn’t mean that the satellite and the Earth are traveling at the same speed, but rather that the satellite is traveling fast enough that its orbit matches the rotation of the Earth. A satellite orbiting like this, therefore, appears to hover at the same point in the sky and is always directly above the same patch of land.
A geosynchronous orbit is one in which the satellite is synchronized with the Earth’s rotation, but the orbit is inclined to the plane of the equator. A satellite in this orbit will wander up and down in latitude, even though it will stay on the same line of longitude. While the terms “geostationary” and “geosynchronous” are sometimes used interchangeably, they are not technically the same thing; the geostationary orbit is a subset of all possible geosynchronous orbits.
The person most credited with developing the concept is well-known science fiction author Arthur C. Clarke. Others had previously pointed out that bodies traveling some distance above the Earth in the equatorial plane would remain motionless relative to the Earth’s surface. Clarke, however, published a 1945 Wireless World article that jumped from the Germans’ rocket research to suggesting permanent artificial satellites that could act as a communications relay.
Geostationary objects in orbit must be some distance above the Earth to remain in the same position relative to the Earth’s surface; closer or further away, and the object won’t stay in the same position. This distance is 22,236 miles (35,786 kilometers) from the surface.
The first geosynchronous satellite was put into orbit in 1963 and the first geostationary one the following year. Since the only geostationary orbit for Earth is in a plane with the equator at 22,236 miles (35,786 kilometers), there is only one circle around the world where these conditions occur. This means that geostationary “real estate” is limited. While the satellites are not yet in danger of colliding with each other, they need to be spaced out around the circle so that their frequencies don’t interfere with the functioning of their closest neighbors.
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