Low Earth orbit (LEO)
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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.
Earth orbits
Compare how altitude, inclination and orbital shape change a spacecraft’s path around Earth.
Earth & orbit at the same relative scaleDrag each model to explore · Accelerated examples
Medium Earth orbit (MEO)
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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 (GEO)
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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 (SSO)
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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 (GTO)
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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.
Inclination and orbital shape
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