Low Earth orbit satellites

Heard in 2 episodes across 2 shows since Nov 2026

Low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites operate at altitudes between approximately 160 and 2,000 kilometers above Earth, completing an orbit in 128 minutes or less. Because of their proximity to the surface, these satellites provide high-speed, low-latency communication and high-resolution imaging, making them ideal for satellite internet constellations and Earth observation. They represent the vast majority of active artificial satellites in orbit today, including major constellations like SpaceX's Starlink and the International Space Station.