Sun-Synchronous Orbit
The clever trick that lets a satellite pass over the same spot on Earth at the same local time every day, giving remote sensing missions the one thing cameras love most: consistent lighting.
space terms
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Hohmann Transfer Orbit
The cheapest way to get from one orbit to another, invented on paper in 1925 by a man who never built a rocket.
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Highly Elliptical Orbit
An orbit stretched so thin it nearly touches the atmosphere on one end and reaches geostationary altitude on the other - engineered to hover over places circular orbits can barely see.
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C-Band
The workhorse frequency band that quietly powers satellite communications, weather radar, and Wi-Fi around the world
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Graveyard Orbit
The final resting place for retired satellites — a disposal orbit where defunct spacecraft are sent to stay out of the way
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Ku-Band
The frequency band that brought satellite TV to small dishes on rooftops and revolutionized direct-to-home broadcasting