GEO
Pronunciation: JEE-oh
Also written as: GEO — Geostationary Earth Orbit
Geostationary Earth Orbit; a circular equatorial orbit at approximately 35,786 km altitude where a satellite appears stationary relative to the ground.
Full Definition
A satellite in GEO orbits at the same angular velocity as the Earth's rotation, causing it to appear fixed over a single point on the equator as viewed from the ground. This property makes GEO satellites ideal for broadcast, VSAT, and broadband services because fixed-pointing antennas can be used. The 35,786 km altitude introduces a one-way propagation delay of approximately 240 ms, which is a significant consideration for latency-sensitive applications. Editors must distinguish GEO from LEO (Low Earth Orbit) and MEO (Medium Earth Orbit) in technical documents and regulatory filings. GEO is always written in all caps.
Usage
Usage note: All caps. Distinguish from GSO (Geostationary Satellite Orbit), the ITU regulatory term for the same physical orbit — the two are functionally equivalent but used in different contexts.
In Context
- "The satellite was successfully positioned in its GEO slot at 28.2°E following completion of the apogee engine firing." — Mission operations report
- "Unlike GEO systems, the proposed LEO constellation requires tracking antennas at each ground terminal." — System trade-off study