Low Earth Orbit

space · satellites · orbits

Super close zone. Low Earth orbits sit between 160 and 2,000 kilometers up, which is way closer to Earth than you might think. At 800 kilometers high, that's where most satellites like to hang out.

Quick lap around. A satellite in Low Earth orbit zooms around Earth in just 128 minutes or less, so it completes a full circle faster than you can watch a movie. That's because it's so close that gravity pulls it along really fast.

Where things live. Most of the objects humans have sent to space are parked in Low Earth orbit right now, including the International Space Station where astronauts live and work. It's the busiest neighborhood in space.

Swirling and oval. These orbits are stretched out a little bit like ovals rather than perfect circles, but not too much, so satellites stay safe and predictable. The shape is measured by something called eccentricity, which stays below 0.25 for Low Earth orbits.