Question
Jan Villaroel
Topic: Physics Posted 1 year ago
Calculate the speed required for a satellite to maintain a geostationary orbit around Earth, where it stays fixed above a specific point on the equator.

Calculate the speed required for a satellite to maintain a geostationary orbit around Earth, where it stays fixed above a specific point on the equator.


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Koala Tutor
Oct 3, 2023
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To maintain a geostationary orbit around Earth, a satellite needs to have an orbital speed that matches the rotation speed of the Earth. The Earth's rotation speed at the equator is approximately 1670 kilometers per hour (km/h) or 465 meters per second (m/s).

It's important to note that the satellite's orbital speed is technically different from its ground track speed, which would be measured by observers on the ground. However, they are closely related, and for this calculation, we'll assume that the satellite's ground track speed is equal to its orbital speed (which is what we usually call "speed of a geostationary satellite").

Therefore, the speed required for a satellite to maintain a geostationary orbit around Earth is approximately 465 meters per second (m/s).

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