Although they are very difficult to see with the naked eye, satellites play a very important role in everyday communication in this digital era. Some of the common uses of satellites are providing phone services, internet, weather forecasting, and GPS such as Google Maps.

Seeing the important role of this satellite, of course, communication industry players must know the differences in orbit types and the functions of each satellite that suit your business needs.

Currently, satellites have 3 main types of orbital positions: Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO), Medium Earth Orbit (MEO), and Low Earth Orbit (LEO).

3 Types of Satellite Orbits Along With Their Advantages

Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO)

Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) is a type of satellite orbit that is at an altitude of about 35,786 km above the equator. Satellites in this orbit move at the same angular speed as the Earth's rotation, so they appear to be stationary at one point relative to the Earth's surface.

GEO satellites cover a very large area, reaching about one-third of the Earth's surface. Because of this wide coverage, only a few satellites are needed to cover the entire surface of the Earth. GEO satellites are commonly used for communications, television broadcasting, and weather observation.

Medium Earth Orbit (MEO)

Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) is a type of satellite orbit that is at an altitude between 2,000 km and 35,786 km above the Earth's surface. Satellites in this orbit are generally used for navigation systems, as they have a wider coverage area than satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO).

With such a wide range, fewer MEO satellites are needed to cover the entire surface of the Earth than LEO. In addition, MEO latency is also lower compared to satellites in GEO, making it an ideal choice for services that require a balance between coverage and response time. MEO satellites are commonly used for global navigation systems such as GPS and BeiDou.

Low Earth Orbit (LEO)

Low Earth Orbit (LEO) is a type of satellite orbit that is at an altitude between 160 km to about 2,000 km above the Earth's surface. Satellites in this orbit move very quickly, with an orbital time of about 90 minutes for one trip around the Earth.

Due to their proximity to Earth, LEO satellites are very suitable for Earth observation, remote sensing, weather monitoring, communications, and as locations for space stations such as the ISS (International Space Station).

The main advantages of LEO are high resolution for cameras and sensors, and very low communication latency compared to other orbits. Examples of LEO satellite use include internet satellites and remote sensing satellites for weather, environmental and agricultural needs.

How Satellites Technology Expand Internet Reach

Satellite internet can reach almost the entire surface of the earth, including small islands to areas that are not yet covered by wireless cellular network or broadband cables. This advantage also supports the need for high mobility internet, which ensures that the internet connection remains active even when moving from one location to another, such as maritime, aviation, or other transportation communications.

To find out more about how satellite internet can be a practical solution for your business, please contact us via email enterprisesales@cbn.id or hotline 1500780.

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3 Types of Satellite Orbits: GEO, MEO, and LEO

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