166:
1703:
349:
31:
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82:
1677:
71:
1739:
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1715:
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1727:
193:
at an altitude of approximately 20,200 kilometres (12,600 mi) has an orbital period of 12 hours and passes over the same two spots on the equator every day. This reliably predictable orbit is used by the
297:
to demonstrate that MEO satellites could be used to provide high-speed mobile internet to remote regions of
Kazakhstan for reliable video calling, conferencing and streaming, and web browsing, with a
231:
of 0.722 with a period of 12 hours, so a satellite spends most of its orbit above the chosen area in high latitudes. This orbit was used by the (now defunct) North
American
359:
in medium Earth orbit stay practically permanently orbiting Earth. Most space debris extends to the lowest high Earth orbits just beyond the edge of medium Earth orbit, where
332:
LEO system to provide cruise ship passengers with internet, social media and video calls at up to 3 Gbps per ship anywhere in the World. Subsequently, in
February 2024,
692:
120:
The boundary between MEO and LEO is an arbitrary altitude chosen by accepted convention, whereas the boundary between MEO and HEO is the particular altitude of a
131:
Satellites in MEO orbits are perturbed by solar radiation pressure, which is the dominating non-gravitational perturbing force. Other perturbing forces include:
839:
875:
818:
1554:
803:
854:
352:
Infographic showing the space debris situation extending from low Earth orbit, across medium Earth orbits, until the lowest high Earth orbits.
758:
124:, in which a satellite takes 24 hours to circle the Earth, the same period as the Earth’s own rotation. All satellites in MEO have an
1614:
165:
609:
173:
photo of Earth from a distance of 29,400 kilometers (18,300 miles), a distance of higher medium Earth orbits (uncropped and unrotated
775:
1609:
1489:
908:
1574:
1328:
1647:
1286:
1277:
1014:
348:
262:
128:
of less than 24 hours, with the minimum period (for a circular orbit at the lowest MEO altitude) about 2 hours.
1693:
696:
1594:
1064:
1539:
410:
1519:
1346:
207:
1657:
258:
195:
47:
1642:
1167:
139:
59:
1652:
960:
399:
360:
313:
294:
199:
30:
1514:
1116:
1036:
1024:
717:
431:
232:
189:
1795:
1707:
1637:
1579:
1549:
1337:
1214:
1182:
1152:
1111:
1096:
975:
754:
298:
255:
1662:
1484:
1268:
1157:
1126:
1054:
1029:
1004:
965:
946:
901:
652:
589:
228:
121:
138:
The MEO region includes the two zones of energetic charged particles above the equator known as the
1774:
1767:
1524:
1319:
1059:
387:
377:
302:
240:
224:
1755:
1743:
1197:
984:
729:
236:
35:
1564:
1462:
1392:
1147:
1101:
1019:
743:
679:
265:
to maritime, aero and remote locations (with an altitude of 8,063 kilometres, 5,010 mi).
1719:
1544:
1476:
1240:
1202:
1076:
1046:
999:
660:
436:
393:
114:
106:
75:
43:
617:
1584:
1177:
1081:
1071:
970:
894:
639:
Bury, Grzegorz; Sośnica, Krzysztof; Zajdel, Radosław; Strugarek, Dariusz (February 2020).
426:
420:
405:
382:
364:
317:
175:
117:(HEO) – between 2,000 and 35,786 km (1,243 and 22,236 mi) above sea level.
110:
51:
39:
783:
656:
1779:
1680:
1632:
1624:
1619:
1504:
1499:
1430:
1410:
1401:
994:
980:
956:
951:
926:
415:
337:
125:
90:
55:
81:
1789:
1534:
1529:
1448:
1091:
1009:
762:
333:
309:
286:
219:
819:"Kcell and SES Successfully Demonstrate Cellular Network connectivity in Kazakhstan"
1731:
1599:
1509:
1383:
1366:
1224:
1121:
989:
356:
363:
are and where after their end of use they are parked in similar orbits, so-called
17:
855:"SES Introduces Cruise Industry's First Integrated MEO-LEO Service with Starlink"
695:. 34th Annual Precise Time and Time Interval (PTTI) Meeting. 2002. Archived from
693:"The Global Navigation System GLONASS: Development and Usage in the 21st Century"
268:
Communications satellites to cover the North and South Pole are also put in MEO.
1604:
1439:
1209:
1189:
1106:
665:
640:
202:. Other navigation satellite systems use similar medium Earth orbits including
135:, navigation antenna thrust, and thermal effects related to heat re-radiation.
70:
1172:
321:
278:
274:
1, an experimental communications satellite launched in 1962, orbited in MEO.
251:
170:
641:"Toward the 1-cm Galileo orbits: challenges in modeling of perturbing forces"
142:, which can damage satellites’ electronic systems without special shielding.
1589:
941:
180:
841:
SES Teams Up with
Starlink to Package Connectivity for the Cruise Segment
329:
187:
Two medium Earth orbits are particularly significant. A satellite in the
27:
Earth-centered orbit above low Earth orbit and below geostationary orbit
1494:
886:
610:"Definitions of geocentric orbits from the Goddard Space Flight Center"
271:
203:
734:. China Satellite Navigation Office. December 2013. Access 2 May 2021.
325:
211:
132:
1726:
1299:
918:
347:
282:
164:
86:
80:
69:
63:
880:
Cruise
Industry News. 26 February 2024. Accessed 27 February 2024
594:. NASA Earth Observatory. 4 September 2009. Accessed 2 May 2021.
456:
Orbital periods and speeds are calculated using the relations 4π
890:
877:
Virgin
Voyages Rolls Out New Improved Internet Package with SES
290:
247:
243:
military communications satellites, after which it is named.
805:
Kcell, SES demo O3b satellite-enabled remote mobile services
320:. The SES Cruise mPOWERED + Starlink service will use SES's
210:(with an altitude of 23,222 kilometres, 14,429 mi) and
844:
Via
Satellite. 13 September 2023. Accessed 27 February 2024
682:. Aerospace Security. 26 October 2020. Accessed 2 May 2021.
214:(with an altitude of 21,528 kilometres, 13,377 mi).
206:(with an altitude of 19,100 kilometres, 11,900 mi),
301:
five times lower than on the existing platform based on
312:
announced the first satellite internet service to use
85:
Space of Medium Earth orbits (MEO) as pink area, with
1691:
340:
will be the first cruise line to deploy the service.
1563:
1475:
1419:
1355:
1308:
1248:
1239:
1135:
1045:
934:
925:
731:BeiDou Navigation Satellite System Signal In Space
616:. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Archived from
523:Approximately 8.6 times when the Moon is nearest
808:Comms Update. 26 May 2022. Accessed 30 May 2022
604:
602:
600:
902:
494:is the gravitational constant, approximately
246:Communications satellites in MEO include the
8:
1676:
1245:
931:
909:
895:
887:
664:
585:
583:
581:
579:
543:, to 9.6 times when the Moon is farthest
145:A medium Earth orbit is sometimes called
506:is the mass of Earth, approximately 5.98
29:
1698:
857:(Press release). SES. 13 September 2023
575:
449:
1555:Transposition, docking, and extraction
308:In September 2023, satellite operator
74:To-scale diagram of low, medium, and
7:
285:, and satellite owner and operator,
755:Satellite Basics: Solution Benefits
36:medium altitude orbits around Earth
486:is the orbital period in seconds;
482:is the radius of orbit in metres;
25:
1615:Kepler's laws of planetary motion
821:(Press release). SES. 25 May 2022
591:Catalog of Earth Satellite Orbits
91:distance of the orbit of the Moon
1773:
1761:
1749:
1737:
1725:
1713:
1701:
1675:
1610:Interplanetary Transport Network
1490:Collision avoidance (spacecraft)
1575:Astronomical coordinate systems
1329:Longitude of the ascending node
1648:Retrograde and prograde motion
34:Clickable image, highlighting
1:
614:User support guide: platforms
490:is the orbital speed in m/s;
1595:Equatorial coordinate system
411:International Space Station
239:satellites and the Russian
151:intermediate circular orbit
93:for reference and to scale.
1812:
1347:Longitude of the periapsis
666:10.1007/s00190-020-01342-2
1671:
1658:Specific angular momentum
437:Types of geocentric orbit
388:Geostationary Earth orbit
281:mobile network operator,
196:Global Positioning System
140:Van Allen radiation belts
109:with an altitude above a
60:Van Allen radiation belts
361:geostationary satellites
314:satellite constellations
1653:Specific orbital energy
400:Highly elliptical orbit
295:satellite constellation
254:constellations for low-
183:during lunar transfer).
56:Moon's orbital distance
1065:Geostationary transfer
432:Suborbital spaceflight
353:
233:Sirius Satellite Radio
190:semi-synchronous orbit
184:
94:
78:
67:
54:, at one ninth of the
1638:Orbital state vectors
1580:Characteristic energy
1550:Trans-lunar injection
1338:Argument of periapsis
1015:Prograde / Retrograde
976:Hyperbolic trajectory
351:
318:Low Earth Orbit (LEO)
168:
84:
73:
33:
1485:Bi-elliptic transfer
1005:Parabolic trajectory
776:"Medium Earth Orbit"
680:"Popular Orbits 101"
122:geosynchronous orbit
107:Earth-centered orbit
1525:Low-energy transfer
780:Internet in the Sky
657:2020JGeod..94...16B
378:Atmospheric reentry
324:MEO satellites and
303:geostationary orbit
48:geostationary orbit
1520:Inclination change
1168:Distant retrograde
718:Galileo Satellites
645:Journal of Geodesy
354:
237:XM Satellite Radio
227:of 63.4° and high
185:
113:(LEO) and below a
99:medium Earth orbit
95:
79:
68:
18:Medium earth orbit
1689:
1688:
1663:Two-line elements
1471:
1470:
1393:Eccentric anomaly
1235:
1234:
1102:Orbit of the Moon
961:Highly elliptical
510:10 kg (1.318
444:Explanatory notes
76:high Earth orbits
16:(Redirected from
1803:
1778:
1777:
1766:
1765:
1764:
1754:
1753:
1752:
1742:
1741:
1740:
1730:
1729:
1718:
1717:
1716:
1706:
1705:
1704:
1697:
1679:
1678:
1620:Lagrangian point
1515:Hohmann transfer
1460:
1446:
1437:
1428:
1408:
1399:
1390:
1381:
1377:
1373:
1364:
1344:
1335:
1326:
1317:
1297:
1293:
1284:
1275:
1266:
1246:
1215:Heliosynchronous
1164:Lagrange points
1117:Transatmospheric
932:
911:
904:
897:
888:
881:
873:
867:
866:
864:
862:
851:
845:
837:
831:
830:
828:
826:
815:
809:
801:
795:
794:
792:
791:
782:. Archived from
772:
766:
752:
746:
741:
735:
727:
721:
715:
709:
708:
706:
704:
699:on June 29, 2011
689:
683:
677:
671:
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668:
636:
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629:
627:
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606:
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587:
563:
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558:
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551:
542:
540:
538:
537:
534:
531:
521:
515:
513:
509:
501:
499:
454:
394:High Earth orbit
365:graveyard orbits
316:in both MEO and
115:high Earth orbit
44:High Earth orbit
21:
1811:
1810:
1806:
1805:
1804:
1802:
1801:
1800:
1786:
1785:
1784:
1772:
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1760:
1750:
1748:
1738:
1736:
1724:
1714:
1712:
1702:
1700:
1692:
1690:
1685:
1667:
1585:Escape velocity
1566:
1559:
1540:Rocket equation
1467:
1459:
1453:
1444:
1435:
1426:
1415:
1406:
1397:
1388:
1379:
1375:
1371:
1362:
1351:
1342:
1333:
1324:
1315:
1304:
1295:
1291:
1287:Semi-minor axis
1282:
1278:Semi-major axis
1273:
1264:
1258:
1231:
1153:Areosynchronous
1137:
1131:
1112:Sun-synchronous
1097:Near-equatorial
1041:
921:
915:
885:
884:
874:
870:
860:
858:
853:
852:
848:
838:
834:
824:
822:
817:
816:
812:
802:
798:
789:
787:
774:
773:
769:
753:
749:
742:
738:
728:
724:
716:
712:
702:
700:
691:
690:
686:
678:
674:
638:
637:
633:
623:
621:
608:
607:
598:
588:
577:
572:
567:
566:
555:
552:
550:405,696 km
549:
548:
546:
544:
535:
532:
530:363,104 km
529:
528:
526:
524:
522:
518:
511:
507:
497:
495:
455:
451:
446:
441:
427:Satellite phone
421:Low Earth orbit
406:Graveyard orbit
383:Escape velocity
373:
346:
336:announced that
299:latency (delay)
176:The Blue Marble
163:
147:mid Earth orbit
111:low Earth orbit
52:graveyard orbit
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
1809:
1807:
1799:
1798:
1788:
1787:
1783:
1782:
1770:
1758:
1746:
1734:
1722:
1710:
1708:Earth sciences
1687:
1686:
1684:
1683:
1681:List of orbits
1672:
1669:
1668:
1666:
1665:
1660:
1655:
1650:
1645:
1640:
1635:
1633:Orbit equation
1630:
1622:
1617:
1612:
1607:
1602:
1597:
1592:
1587:
1582:
1577:
1571:
1569:
1561:
1560:
1558:
1557:
1552:
1547:
1542:
1537:
1532:
1527:
1522:
1517:
1512:
1507:
1505:Gravity assist
1502:
1500:Delta-v budget
1497:
1492:
1487:
1481:
1479:
1473:
1472:
1469:
1468:
1466:
1465:
1457:
1451:
1442:
1433:
1431:Orbital period
1423:
1421:
1417:
1416:
1414:
1413:
1411:True longitude
1404:
1402:Mean longitude
1395:
1386:
1369:
1359:
1357:
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1349:
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1331:
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1312:
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1305:
1303:
1302:
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1261:
1259:
1257:
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1253:
1249:
1243:
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1230:
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1227:
1219:
1218:
1217:
1212:
1207:
1206:
1205:
1192:
1187:
1186:
1185:
1180:
1175:
1170:
1162:
1161:
1160:
1158:Areostationary
1155:
1150:
1141:
1139:
1133:
1132:
1130:
1129:
1127:Very low Earth
1124:
1119:
1114:
1109:
1104:
1099:
1094:
1089:
1084:
1079:
1074:
1069:
1068:
1067:
1062:
1055:Geosynchronous
1051:
1049:
1043:
1042:
1040:
1039:
1037:Transfer orbit
1034:
1033:
1032:
1027:
1017:
1012:
1007:
1002:
997:
995:Lagrange point
992:
987:
978:
973:
968:
963:
954:
949:
944:
938:
936:
929:
923:
922:
917:Gravitational
916:
914:
913:
906:
899:
891:
883:
882:
868:
846:
832:
810:
796:
767:
761:2013-11-19 at
747:
744:O3b satellites
736:
722:
710:
684:
672:
631:
620:on 27 May 2010
596:
574:
573:
571:
568:
565:
564:
556:42,164 km
536:42,164 km
516:
448:
447:
445:
442:
440:
439:
434:
429:
424:
418:
416:List of orbits
413:
408:
403:
397:
391:
385:
380:
374:
372:
369:
345:
342:
338:Virgin Voyages
162:
159:
133:Earth's albedo
126:orbital period
42:to the lowest
26:
24:
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1808:
1797:
1794:
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1654:
1651:
1649:
1646:
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1641:
1639:
1636:
1634:
1631:
1629:
1628:-body problem
1627:
1623:
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1618:
1616:
1613:
1611:
1608:
1606:
1603:
1601:
1598:
1596:
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1568:
1562:
1556:
1553:
1551:
1548:
1546:
1543:
1541:
1538:
1536:
1533:
1531:
1530:Oberth effect
1528:
1526:
1523:
1521:
1518:
1516:
1513:
1511:
1508:
1506:
1503:
1501:
1498:
1496:
1493:
1491:
1488:
1486:
1483:
1482:
1480:
1478:
1474:
1464:
1456:
1452:
1450:
1449:Orbital speed
1443:
1441:
1434:
1432:
1425:
1424:
1422:
1418:
1412:
1405:
1403:
1396:
1394:
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1368:
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1260:
1254:
1251:
1250:
1247:
1244:
1242:
1238:
1226:
1223:
1222:
1220:
1216:
1213:
1211:
1208:
1204:
1203:Earth's orbit
1201:
1200:
1199:
1196:
1195:
1193:
1191:
1188:
1184:
1181:
1179:
1176:
1174:
1171:
1169:
1166:
1165:
1163:
1159:
1156:
1154:
1151:
1149:
1146:
1145:
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1142:
1140:
1134:
1128:
1125:
1123:
1120:
1118:
1115:
1113:
1110:
1108:
1105:
1103:
1100:
1098:
1095:
1093:
1090:
1088:
1085:
1083:
1080:
1078:
1075:
1073:
1070:
1066:
1063:
1061:
1060:Geostationary
1058:
1057:
1056:
1053:
1052:
1050:
1048:
1044:
1038:
1035:
1031:
1028:
1026:
1023:
1022:
1021:
1018:
1016:
1013:
1011:
1008:
1006:
1003:
1001:
998:
996:
993:
991:
988:
986:
982:
979:
977:
974:
972:
969:
967:
964:
962:
958:
955:
953:
950:
948:
945:
943:
940:
939:
937:
933:
930:
928:
924:
920:
912:
907:
905:
900:
898:
893:
892:
889:
879:
878:
872:
869:
856:
850:
847:
843:
842:
836:
833:
820:
814:
811:
807:
806:
800:
797:
786:on 2017-06-09
785:
781:
777:
771:
768:
764:
763:archive.today
760:
756:
751:
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694:
688:
685:
681:
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658:
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650:
646:
642:
635:
632:
619:
615:
611:
605:
603:
601:
597:
593:
592:
586:
584:
582:
580:
576:
569:
520:
517:
505:
500:10 Nm/kg
493:
489:
485:
481:
477:
474: =
473:
470:
466:
463:
460: =
459:
453:
450:
443:
438:
435:
433:
430:
428:
425:
422:
419:
417:
414:
412:
409:
407:
404:
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263:data backhaul
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1796:Earth orbits
1768:Solar System
1643:Perturbation
1625:
1600:Ground track
1510:Gravity turn
1461:
1454:
1447:
1438:
1429:
1409:
1400:
1391:
1384:True anomaly
1382:
1367:Mean anomaly
1365:
1345:
1336:
1327:
1318:
1298:
1285:
1276:
1269:Eccentricity
1267:
1225:Lunar cycler
1198:Heliocentric
1138:other points
1087:Medium Earth
1086:
985:Non-inclined
876:
871:
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849:
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835:
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813:
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784:the original
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357:Space debris
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344:Space debris
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305:satellites.
276:
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229:eccentricity
218:
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179:image, from
174:
161:Applications
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119:
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58:), with the
1756:Outer space
1744:Spaceflight
1605:Hill sphere
1440:Mean motion
1320:Inclination
1309:Orientation
1210:Mars cycler
1148:Areocentric
1020:Synchronous
861:27 February
703:28 February
289:used SES's
279:Kazakhstani
225:inclination
223:has a high
1545:Rendezvous
1241:Parameters
1077:High Earth
1047:Geocentric
1000:Osculating
957:Elliptical
790:2007-01-04
570:References
545:(that is,
525:(that is,
322:O3b mPOWER
252:O3b mPOWER
1720:Astronomy
1590:Ephemeris
1567:mechanics
1477:Maneuvers
1420:Variation
1183:Libration
1178:Lissajous
1082:Low Earth
1072:Graveyard
971:Horseshoe
651:(2): 16.
259:broadband
181:Apollo 17
40:Low Earth
1790:Category
1356:Position
981:Inclined
952:Circular
759:Archived
478:, where
371:See also
330:Starlink
105:) is an
89:and the
66:to scale
62:and the
50:and its
1780:Weather
1694:Portals
1565:Orbital
1535:Phasing
1495:Delta-v
1300:Apsides
1294:,
1092:Molniya
1010:Parking
947:Capture
935:General
653:Bibcode
559:
547:
539:
527:
272:Telstar
256:latency
241:Molniya
208:Galileo
204:GLONASS
38:, from
1221:Other
1122:Tundra
990:Kepler
966:Escape
919:orbits
825:30 May
624:8 July
326:SpaceX
212:BeiDou
198:(GPS)
171:camera
1732:Stars
1463:Epoch
1252:Shape
1190:Lunar
1144:Mars
1136:About
1107:Polar
927:Types
496:6.673
423:(LEO)
402:(HEO)
396:(HEO)
390:(GEO)
283:Kcell
87:Earth
64:Earth
1255:Size
1194:Sun
1173:Halo
1025:semi
863:2024
827:2022
705:2019
626:2012
467:and
293:MEO
261:and
250:and
235:and
217:The
1030:sub
942:Box
661:doi
334:SES
328:'s
310:SES
291:O3b
287:SES
248:O3b
157:).
155:ICO
149:or
103:MEO
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599:^
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508:×
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492:G
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