Important Satellite Classifications

Name GEO Full form Geostationary Earth Orbit Distance from Earth About 36000 about The majority of communications satellites are GEOs. These support voice, data, and video services, most often providing fixed services to a particular region. Typical LEO satellite takes less than 2 hours to orbit the Earth, which means that a single satellite is "in view" of ground equipment for a only a few minutes. MEO satellites, like LEOs, have a much shorter life expectancy than GEOs, requiring more frequent launches to maintain system over time Elliptical orbit causes satellite to move around earth faster when it is traveling close to earth and slower the farther away it gets

LEO

Low Earth Orbit

about 500-1500 km above

MEO

Medium Earth Orbit

about 6000-20,000 km above

HEO

Highly Elliptical Orbit

HEOs are in between a MEO and a LEO