Can a moon be in geostationary orbit?
Geostationary orbit for Earth is 42 164 from the Earth center or 35 786 from geoid surface (sea level). It works only in Equatorial plain (Moon is tilted 18,3-28,6 to Earth equator). So, Earth-size planet can have Moon-sized satellite in geostationary orbit.
What if moon was geostationary?
A moon in a geostationary orbit is possible as answered here on astronomy SE. Unlikely but possible. For any particular location the moon would appear fixed and always in the same place in the sky. There would be no rising or setting of such a moon, it’s just always there.
How high is geostationary orbit for the Moon?
35,786 km
A circular geosynchronous orbit has a constant altitude of 35,786 km (22,236 mi), and all geosynchronous orbits share that semi-major axis. A special case of geosynchronous orbit is the geostationary orbit, which is a circular geosynchronous orbit in Earth’s equatorial plane.
Is Lunar Orbit possible?
Low lunar orbit (LLO) are orbits below 100 km (62 mi) altitude. They are of particular interest in exploration of the Moon, but suffer from gravitational perturbation effects that make most unstable, and leave only a few orbital inclinations possible for indefinite frozen orbits, useful for long-term stays in LLO.
How fast is geostationary orbit?
The aptly titled geosynchronous orbit is described in detail: “At an altitude of 124 miles (200 kilometers), the required orbital velocity is just over 17,000 mph (about 27,400 kph). To maintain an orbit that is 22,223 miles (35,786 km) above Earth, the satellite must orbit at a speed of about 7,000 mph (11,300 kph).
What is the difference between a geosynchronous and geostationary orbit?
The first concept I want to tackle is the difference between a geosynchronous and geostationary orbit. Although these terms are often used interchangeably, they are not the same thing: A Geosynchonous Orbit (GEO) takes a satellite around the Earth at a rate of once per day, keeping it roughly in the same area over the ground.
What is GSO (a geostationary orbit)?
A Geostationary Orbit (GSO) is a geosynchronous orbit with an inclination of zero, meaning, it lies on the equator. All geostationary satellites are geosynchronous.
What is a stationary orbit?
The “stationary” part of geostationary describes how a satellite in this orbit remains fixed with respect to an observer on the ground. This is an ideal orbit for communications satellites, since ground-based antennas can remain pointed at the same spot in the sky.
How long does it take for a Moon orbit to freeze?
They have a period of about 2 hours. They are of particular interest in exploration of the Moon, but suffer from gravitational perturbation effects that make most unstable, and leave only a few orbital inclinations possible for indefinite frozen orbits, useful for long-term stays in LLO.