// ORBITAL LOGISTICS AND PROPULSION TERM

Non-Geostationary

Refers to satellites that do not stay in a fixed position relative to the Earth's surface, constantly moving across the sky, typically in LEO or MEO.

Non-Geostationary — illustration from Wikipedia
Image via Wikipedia

TECHNICAL DEFINITION

Non-Geostationary (NGSO) describes satellites operating in orbits other than geostationary, primarily Low Earth Orbit (LEO) or Medium Earth Orbit (MEO), which continuously move relative to the Earth's surface, requiring constellations for continuous coverage and offering lower latency.

BACKGROUND

Outer space, or simply space, is the expanse that exists beyond Earth's atmosphere and between celestial bodies. It contains ultra-low levels of particle densities, constituting a near-perfect vacuum of predominantly hydrogen and helium plasma, permeated by electromagnetic radiation, cosmic rays, neutrinos, magnetic fields and dust. The baseline temperature of outer space, as set by the background radiation from the Big Bang, is 2.7 kelvins.

READ MORE ON WIKIPEDIA

SYNONYMS & ALIASES

  • NGSO
  • non-GEO
  • LEO/MEO satellite
  • moving satellite

USAGE NOTE

The rise of NGSO constellations is transforming satellite communication and Earth observation markets.

DEVELOPERS

Organizations developing technology related to Non-Geostationary.

  • SpaceX

    Develops, launches, and operates Starlink, a large constellation of non-geostationary satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) providing global broadband internet service.

  • Amazon

    Developing and planning to launch Project Kuiper, a large constellation of non-geostationary satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) to provide global broadband internet access.

  • OneWeb

    Operates a global constellation of non-geostationary satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) to deliver high-speed, low-latency broadband connectivity.

  • SES

    Operates the O3b and mPOWER constellations of non-geostationary satellites in Medium Earth Orbit (MEO), providing high-throughput, low-latency data connectivity services.

  • Telesat

    Developing Telesat Lightspeed, a global constellation of advanced non-geostationary satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) designed to deliver enterprise-grade broadband services.

  • Planet Labs

    Operates the world's largest fleet of Earth imaging satellites, all of which are non-geostationary spacecraft in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), providing daily insights into global change.

  • Capella Space

    Develops and operates a constellation of non-geostationary Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) for high-resolution, all-weather Earth observation.

  • Rocket Lab

    Develops and operates launch vehicles (Electron, Neutron) specifically designed to deploy small satellites into various non-geostationary orbits (LEO, MEO), and also builds satellite platforms for NGSO missions.

  • Relativity Space

    Develops and manufactures 3D-printed rockets (Terran 1, Terran R) capable of launching payloads, including those for non-geostationary constellations, into Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and beyond.

RELATED TERMS IN SPACE ECONOMY