Hobbies And Interests
Location of Polar Orbit
A polar orbit is an orbit in which a satellite travels over both the North and South Poles of the earth, each every 12 hours at a 90-degree inclination.
Altitude of Low Earth Orbit
A low orbit is approximately 750 kilometers (466 miles) above the earth's surface. It is much lower than a traditional orbit, which is usually around 35,000 kilometers (21,749 miles).
Benefits of Polar Orbits
Satellites in this type of orbit have access to every point on earth at one time during the day, every day. They are able to collect images of regions that cannot be accessed by man.
Satellites in Low Polar Orbit
Most of the satellites in a low polar orbit are used for mapping purposes and collecting images. These daily images are compared, and changes can be detected.
Cost of Low Polar Orbits
Low orbits require more fuel than traditional orbits. The direction of the orbit does not benefit from the Earth's rotation, and more fuel is required during the entire orbit.