Low Earth orbit
Our closest orbital neighborhood.
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Example altitude400 kmInclination51.6°
Close to Earth, below about 2,000 km. Many Earth-imaging satellites and the International Space Station operate here.
The orbit guide
Different paths.
One extraordinary planet.
Five orbits, five perspectives on Earth. Explore each model to see how altitude, tilt and shape change a mission’s view of our planet.
Earth & orbit at the same relative scaleDrag each model to explore · Accelerated examples
Medium Earth orbit
A wider view for global navigation.
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Example altitude20,200 kmInclination55°
Between low Earth and geostationary orbit. Navigation constellations are a familiar use of this region.
Geostationary orbit
One place on Earth. Always in view.
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Example altitude35,786 kmInclination0°
A circular orbit over the equator. Matching Earth’s rotation keeps a satellite above the same location.
Sun-synchronous orbit
A consistent light on a changing world.
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Example altitude700 kmInclination98.2°
A near-polar orbit that passes a location at a similar local solar time, useful for comparing Earth observations under consistent lighting. Long-term precession is not simulated.
Geostationary transfer orbit
A stepping stone to a higher orbit.
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Example perigee250 kmExample apogee35,786 km
An elongated transfer path toward geostationary altitude. A later engine burn changes the orbit; reaching its farthest point does not itself make the orbit circular.
Reading a mission
Altitude is only part of the story.
Inclination describes the tilt of an orbital plane relative to the equator. Perigee and apogee are the nearest and farthest points from Earth. These models show representative shapes, not a satellite’s live position or a predicted launch trajectory. Each view fits its orbit to the available space; Earth keeps its correct size relative to that orbit.
Sources and imagery
Orbit definitions: ESA’s guide to types of orbit. Earth texture: NASA/Goddard Blue Marble, a historical surface composite. Example values describe this illustration, not a live mission.
Reviewed · By Spacian