What is the orbital period of a geosynchronous orbit?
A geosynchronous orbit matches Earth's rotation on its axis with a period of 23 hours, 56 minutes, and 4 seconds. This specific duration is known as one sidereal day.
Questions about Geosynchronous orbit
Short answers, pulled from the story.
When did Herman Potočnik describe geosynchronous orbits?
Herman Potočnik described both general geosynchronous orbits and their special equatorial case in 1929. He identified these paths as useful locations for future space stations.
Who designed the first functional geosynchronous satellite?
Harold Rosen designed the first functional geosynchronous satellite while working at Hughes Aircraft in 1959. His team successfully placed Syncom 2 into orbit in 1963 after losing Syncom 1 to electronics failure.
How high above mean sea level does a circular geosynchronous orbit sit?
The altitude for a circular version of this orbit sits at approximately 35,786 kilometers above mean sea level. The semi-major axis measures 42,164 kilometers from the center of the Earth.
What happened to the European Space Agency telecom satellite Olympus-1?
The European Space Agency telecom satellite Olympus-1 was struck by a meteoroid on the 11th of August 1993. It eventually moved to a graveyard orbit after sustaining damage.