SSO is a LEO sub-regime tuned for Earth observation. The slightly retrograde inclination (~98°) causes the orbital plane to precess eastward at exactly ~0.9856°/day — matching Earth’s revolution around the Sun. The result: the satellite always crosses the equator at the same local solar time, ensuring consistent lighting conditions for imaging. It doesn’t cost extra Δv; it’s a geometry choice.

MEO spans the gap between LEO and GEO. Navigation constellations dominate this band — the half-day period of GPS allows ground repeating coverage with fewer satellites than LEO. MEO passes through the Van Allen radiation belts, so spacecraft need radiation-hardened components. Each satellite covers a large swath of Earth at moderate latency.

At GEO, a satellite’s period equals Earth’s sidereal rotation period (23 h 56 m), so it appears fixed over one point on the equator. This makes GEO ideal for communications and weather satellites that need persistent coverage of a fixed footprint. The altitude is uniquely determined — there’s only one GEO ring. The slot is a geopolitical resource coordinated by the ITU. Insertion from LEO costs ~3.9 km/s total Δv (see the calculator below).

Kepler’s second law means a satellite spends most of its time near apogee, moving slowly. In a Molniya orbit (~63.4° inclination, chosen to avoid apsidal precession), this dwell time occurs over high-latitude regions — making it ideal for Arctic/sub-Arctic communications and reconnaissance where GEO provides poor elevation angles. Two or three satellites in complementary Molniya orbits can provide nearly continuous high-latitude coverage.