Geostationary and Polar Satellites – Class 11 | Chapter – 8 | Physics Short Notes Series PDF for NEET & JEE
Geostationary and Polar Satellites: Geostationary satellites are placed in a circular orbit around the Earth’s equator and are used for communication and broadcasting purposes, while polar satellites orbit the Earth from north to south and back again, passing over the Earth’s poles, and are used for a variety of scientific and environmental monitoring purposes.
Geostationary and Polar Satellites
Geostationary and polar satellites are two types of Earth satellites that differ in their orbits and their functions.
Geostationary satellites are placed in a geostationary orbit, which is a circular orbit around the Earth’s equator at an altitude of about 36,000 kilometers. These satellites orbit the Earth at the same rate as the Earth rotates on its axis, which means that they appear to be stationary in the sky from the perspective of an observer on the ground. This makes geostationary satellites ideal for communication and broadcasting purposes, as they can provide continuous coverage of a specific region on the Earth’s surface. Examples of geostationary satellites include the International Telecommunication Union’s Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) and the Global Positioning System (GPS).
Polar satellites, on the other hand, orbit the Earth from north to south and back again, passing over the Earth’s poles. These satellites travel at lower altitudes than geostationary satellites and complete one orbit of the Earth every 90 minutes or so. Polar satellites are used for a variety of purposes, including weather and environmental monitoring, mapping and surveillance, and scientific research. Because they are able to cover the entire surface of the Earth, they are particularly useful for studying the Earth’s polar regions. Examples of polar satellites include the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Polar-Orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite (POES) and the European Space Agency’s (ESA) CryoSat mission, which studies changes in the Earth’s polar ice caps.
| JOIN OUR TELEGRAM CHANNELS | ||
| Biology Quiz & Notes | Physics Quiz & Notes | Chemistry Quiz & Notes |
By Team Learning Mantras
