High Earth orbit

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To-scale diagram of low, medium and high Earth orbits
This article is about a type of geocentric orbit defined by altitude. For a more common disambiguation of HEO, see Highly elliptical orbit.

A high Earth orbit (HEO) is an Earth-centered orbit with altitude at apogee higher than that of the geosynchronous orbit (35,786 km above sea level [1]). A special case of a high Earth orbit is the highly elliptical orbit where altitude at perigee may reach as low as 2,000 km (1,200 mi).

Satellites in HEO are primarily used for

TESS,[3]
have been placed in HEO.

One of the main benefits of HEO is that it provides a nearly unobstructed view of the Earth and deep space. This makes it an ideal location for astronomical observations and Earth monitoring. In addition, satellites in HEO can provide a continuous coverage of the Earth's surface, making it very useful for communication and navigation purposes.[4]

There are four main reasons that most satellite are placed in lower orbits. First, a HEO can take a month or more per orbit. This is because HEOs are very large orbits and move at only 7000 mph. Meanwhile, a

shielding
to protect them from radiation. As a result, only satellites that require the unique characteristics of HEO use this orbit.

The development of HEO technology has had a significant impact on space exploration and has paved the way for future missions to deep space. The ability to place satellites in HEO has allowed scientists to make groundbreaking discoveries in astronomy and Earth science, while also enabling global communication and navigation systems.[7]

Examples of satellites in high Earth orbit

Name NSSDC id. Launch date Perigee Apogee Period Inclination
Vela 1A[8][9] 1963-039A 1963-10-17 101,925 km 116,528 km 108 h 39 min 37.8°
IBEX 2008-051A 2008-10-19 61,941 km 290,906 km 216 h 3 min 16.9°
TESS[3][10]
 2018-038A 2018-04-18 108,000 km 375,000 km 328 h 48 min 37.00°
Propulsion module 2023-098B 2023-07-14 115,000 km 154,000 km 13 days 27°

See also

References

  1. ^ "Catalog of Earth Satellite Orbits". earthobservatory.nasa.gov. 2009-09-04. Retrieved 2023-04-05.
  2. ^ "Types of Orbits". spacefoundation.org. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
  3. ^ a b "MIT TESS mission". Retrieved November 12, 2022.
  4. ^ "Advantages of HEO Highly Elliptical Orbit | Disadvantages of HEO orbit".
  5. ^ "Popular Orbits 101". Aerospace Security. 30 November 2017. Retrieved 2023-04-05.
  6. ^ "Capabilities & Services" (PDF). spacex.com. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
  7. ^ "Catalog of Earth Satellite Orbits". earthobservatory.nasa.gov. 2009-09-04. Retrieved 2023-04-05.
  8. ^ "Vela". Astronautix.com. Retrieved November 12, 2022.
  9. ^ "Trajectory Details for Vela 1A from the National Space Science Data Center". Retrieved November 12, 2022.
  10. ^ "NASA - TESS Science Support Center". 25 July 2023.
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