THE SPACE RIDE

Source: Mangalorean.com

Wow, India had successfully launched the RISAT-2B (Radar Imaging Satellite) into the space in the SSO(Sun- Synchronous Orbit). This RISAT is actually a very good initiative by the ISRO since this satellite is made with a vision for the imaging for the Indian region especially for the agricultural and military purpose, it is similar to that of the GPS of US. Everything sounds familiar but what is SSO is a freaky thing right. Let us have a space ride to explore this, actually, there were four kinds of orbital patterns for the satellite that humans launch from the earth, such as

• Lower Earth Orbit(LEO)
• Sun Synchronous Orbit(SSO)
• Geostationary Transfer Orbit(GTO)

Lower Earth Orbit(LEO):

The Lower Earth Orbit is the more favourable kind orbit for the satellites around the earth. That satellite that revolves around the earth will move in this orbit by making a constant relationship with the movement of the earth. The orbital radius varies from 15,000 to 25,000 km above the sea level and the speed varies according to the distance. This orbit is the house of many satellite like GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou and Galileo. There is an orbit called the Graveyard orbit where the satellite left behind after its service period. This causes the space debris.

Have a look: LEO(source Wikipedia)

Sun Synchronous Orbit( SSO):

The Sun Synchronous Orbit is a Kind of Orbit where the satellite maintains a constant relationship with the sun in a manner so that its solar panels will constantly get sunlight to get power to rotate around the earth.

Source: Quora

Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO):

The GTO is usually used in places where the satellite is used to observe other planets to make the enter or withdraw from the geostationary orbit of the planet,

Have a look: GTO (Source Wikipedia).