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Category

Earth orbits

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geostationary orbit
geosynchronous orbit with zero eccentricity at a fixed longitude and a nominally fixed latitude; common orbit for communications satellites
low Earth orbit
orbit around Earth with an altitude between 160 kilometers and 2,000 kilometers
geosynchronous orbit
orbit with a period matching Earth's orbit at a fixed longitude but not necessarily a fixed latitude
geocentric orbit
orbit around Earth
medium Earth orbit
Earth-centered orbit above low Earth orbit and below geostationary orbit
polar orbit
satellite orbit with high inclination
Sun-synchronous orbit
nearly polar orbit around a planet in which the satellite passes over any given point of the planet’s surface at the same local mean solar time
geostationary transfer orbit
Hohmann transfer orbit used to reach geosynchronous or geostationary orbit
graveyard orbit
supersynchronous orbit where spacecraft are intentionally placed at the end of their operational life
high Earth orbit
geocentric orbit with an altitude entirely above that of a geosynchronous orbit
Molniya orbit
highly elliptical and highly inclined semi-synchronous orbit
Tundra orbit
highly elliptical and highly inclined synchronous orbit
highly elliptical orbit
type of orbit around an astronomical body
free-return trajectory
trajectory of a spacecraft to a secondary body which allows the vehicle to return to the primary body without propulsion
orbital station-keeping
maneuvers made to maintain a particular orbit
semi-synchronous orbit
type of orbit with a period equal to half the rotational period of its parent body
transatmospheric orbit
orbit around a celestial body with a periapsis below the atmosphere/space boundary
Very low Earth orbit
range of low orbital altitudes