Question

The orbital period of a geo-synchronous satellite is:

• A. \(\text{one sidereal day} \)
• B. \(\text{one solar day} \)
• C. \(\text{28 sidereal days} \)
• D. \(\text{28 solar days} \)

Hint:

Geo-synchronous satellites have an orbital period of one solar day (24 hours), allowing them to stay in sync with Earth's surface.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Understanding geo-synchronous satellite motion. A geo-synchronous satellite is a satellite that orbits the Earth with a period equal to Earth's rotation period. This allows it to return to the same position in the sky after each orbit.
Step 2: Determining the orbital period. The Earth's rotation period is one solar day (24 hours). A geo-synchronous satellite must complete one orbit in this same time frame to maintain synchronization with the Earth's rotation.
Step 3: Explanation of other terms. - Sidereal day (23 hours, 56 minutes): The time taken for Earth to complete one rotation relative to the stars. - Solar day (24 hours): The time taken for Earth to complete one rotation relative to the Sun. Since a geo-synchronous satellite is aligned with the Earth's surface relative to the Sun, its period matches one solar day.
Step 4: Selecting the correct option. Thus, the correct answer is b. One solar day.