Which orbit is closest to Earth?

Which orbit is closest to Earth?

• A. Medium Earth
• B. Geostationary
• C. Low Earth
• D. High Elliptical

Answer: (C)

Altitude is what sets how close an orbit is to Earth. The lower an orbit, the nearer it sits to the planet’s surface. Low Earth Orbit is defined as roughly 160 to 2,000 kilometers above Earth, so it lies closest among common orbital regimes. Medium Earth Orbit sits higher, typically from about 2,000 kilometers up to tens of thousands of kilometers. Geostationary orbit is much farther, at about 35,786 kilometers above the equator. High Elliptical describes an elongated path that reaches far from Earth, even though it may dip closer at perigee, its overall altitude range is muchHigher than low Earth. So the closest option is the one associated with the smallest altitude: Low Earth Orbit.

Altitude is what sets how close an orbit is to Earth. The lower an orbit, the nearer it sits to the planet’s surface. Low Earth Orbit is defined as roughly 160 to 2,000 kilometers above Earth, so it lies closest among common orbital regimes. Medium Earth Orbit sits higher, typically from about 2,000 kilometers up to tens of thousands of kilometers. Geostationary orbit is much farther, at about 35,786 kilometers above the equator. High Elliptical describes an elongated path that reaches far from Earth, even though it may dip closer at perigee, its overall altitude range is muchHigher than low Earth. So the closest option is the one associated with the smallest altitude: Low Earth Orbit.