4 ms·

Another good article: http://www.aviationweek.com/Blogs.aspx?plckBlogId=Blog:04ce340e-4b63-4d23-9695-d49ab661f385&plckPostId=Blog%3A04ce340e-4b63-4d23-9695-d49a

• deleted 14y ago
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  • ovi256 14y ago
    Orbits are elliptical, AFAIK, and the two lengths are the dimensions of the major and minor axis of the ellipsis. The planned operational orbit was circular (750 x 750 km).
    • someperson 14y ago
      Sorry I deleted my comment because I had already discovered the answer. (I asked what the meaning was when an orbit is written as XXXxYYYkm.) From my reading of both articles together, I'm pretty you're correct - it's the interval that the satellite's altitude moves between (ie the axis's on the ellipse around the Earth, like you say)
      • eternauta3k 14y ago
        Minor correction, the apogee and perigee are not equal to the semimajor and minor axes because the Earth is in a focus of the ellipse.