3 ms·
This is a great analogy! To add a little color, all of those satellites that are geostationary (most of them used for communications to date, with the exception
by rory096 9y ago
This is a great analogy! To add a little color, all of those satellites that are geostationary (most of them used for communications to date, with the exceptions of Iridium and o3b) are like vans laid out along the equator. Starlink's satellites (in addition to being at a much, much lower altitude) are in different planes - for even more separation from existing satellites.
- readams 9y agoThe available volume out at geostationary orbit absolutely dwarfs low earth orbit or the Earth's surface.
- neuronexmachina 9y agoUnless I'm mistaken, isn't geostationary orbit essentially a single circle? So it technically has zero volume. Individual satellites are assigned constant locations in longitude. https://www.n2yo.com/satellites/?c=10 https://www.n2yo.com/satellites/?c=10
- tlrobinson 9y agoI think that's correct, but since they're stationary (relative to each other) perhaps they can be packed more densely without risk of collision?
- readams 9y agoGeostationary orbit is just really really far away.