{"dataset":{"slug":"orbit-types","title":"Orbit Types","description":"The orbital regimes satellites use — LEO, MEO, GEO, sun-synchronous, polar, and highly elliptical.","version":"1.0.0","lastGenerated":"2026-06-29","license":"CC BY-SA 4.0","entityCount":7,"sources":["nasa","esa"]},"entities":[{"id":"orbit_type:geo","name":"Geostationary Orbit (GEO)","type":"orbit_type","domain":"science","description":"A circular orbit 35,786 km above the equator where a satellite's period matches Earth's rotation, so it appears fixed in the sky. The workhorse orbit for communications and weather monitoring.","entryPath":"/satellites/orbit/geo"},{"id":"orbit_type:gto","name":"Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO)","type":"orbit_type","domain":"science","description":"An elliptical transfer orbit with perigee in low Earth orbit and apogee at the geostationary altitude, used to carry a satellite most of the way to GEO before its own engine circularises the orbit.","entryPath":"/satellites/orbit/gto"},{"id":"orbit_type:heo","name":"Highly Elliptical Orbit (HEO)","type":"orbit_type","domain":"science","description":"An elongated orbit with a low perigee and a very high apogee (as in the Molniya and Tundra orbits). The satellite moves slowly near apogee, dwelling for hours over high latitudes that geostationary orbit cannot serve.","entryPath":"/satellites/orbit/heo"},{"id":"orbit_type:leo","name":"Low Earth Orbit (LEO)","type":"orbit_type","domain":"science","description":"The region of space from roughly 160 to 2,000 km altitude, where a satellite circles the Earth in about 90 minutes. Low latency and easy access make it the busiest orbital regime.","entryPath":"/satellites/orbit/leo"},{"id":"orbit_type:meo","name":"Medium Earth Orbit (MEO)","type":"orbit_type","domain":"science","description":"The band of orbits between low Earth orbit and the geostationary altitude. Its multi-hour periods and wide coverage make it ideal for navigation constellations, typically near 20,000 km.","entryPath":"/satellites/orbit/meo"},{"id":"orbit_type:polar","name":"Polar Orbit","type":"orbit_type","domain":"science","description":"A low orbit inclined close to 90° that passes over (or near) both poles, letting a satellite eventually observe the whole planet as the Earth turns underneath it.","entryPath":"/satellites/orbit/polar"},{"id":"orbit_type:sso","name":"Sun-Synchronous Orbit (SSO)","type":"orbit_type","domain":"science","description":"A near-polar low orbit whose plane precesses to keep a constant angle to the Sun, so a satellite passes over each location at the same local solar time — ideal for consistent-illumination Earth imaging.","entryPath":"/satellites/orbit/sso"}]}