Mondo Knows Facts
Arthur C. Clarke conceptualized geostationary communications satellites in 1945
Orbiting 35,786 kilometres above the equator allows satellites to match Earth's rotational speed
Science fiction writer and inventor Arthur C. Clarke published a paper in Wireless World in 1945 proposing telecommunication relays in geostationary orbit. At an altitude of 35,786 kilometres above Earth's equator, a satellite's orbital period exactly matches planetary rotation. Ground antennas can remain pointed at a fixed position in the sky.
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Tags: satellites, telecoms, orbit
Arthur C. Clarke conceptualized geostationary communications satellites in 1945: the short answers
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- Orbiting 35,786 kilometres above the equator allows satellites to match Earth's rotational speed. The figure is taken from NASA History, which is linked in full on this page. Every fact on Mondo Knows names its source rather than repeating an unsourced claim.
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