SPACE INDEX

GEO

Geostationary / Geosynchronous Orbit ORBIT 70 in index

An orbit at ~35,786 km altitude where a satellite's period matches Earth's rotation, so it appears stationary above one longitude.

DEFINITION

Geostationary Orbit (GEO), more precisely the geostationary belt at roughly 35,786 km above the equator, is where a satellite's orbital period matches Earth's rotation. A geostationary satellite appears fixed over a single point on the equator. GEO has been the traditional home of broadcast TV, fixed satellite services (FSS), and weather satellites.

WHY IT MATTERS

GEO is congested, lucrative, and increasingly being eaten into by LEO constellations. Slot allocations are filed via the ITU and are scarce. Many incumbent operators are migrating from pure-GEO models toward hybrid GEO+LEO architectures.

WHERE YOU'LL SEE IT
  • Direct-broadcast TV (DirecTV, SES)
  • Maritime VSAT (Inmarsat)
  • Weather (GOES, Meteosat, Himawari)
  • Hosted government payloads

Companies working with GEO

VIEW ALL 70 →
ATLAS Space Operations logo

ATLAS Space Operations

OPERATING
USAEST. 2015

Operates a cloud-native federated ground station network providing Ground Software as a Service for satellite telemetry, tracking, and command

Satellite CommunicationsGround Segment & NetworksSpace Software & Mission Tools
Traverse City, Michigan
EXPLORE
Aalyria logo

Aalyria

OPERATING
USAEST. 2022

Develops network orchestration software and laser communication terminals that unify satellite, airborne, maritime, and ground networks into a single managed system

Satellite CommunicationsGround Segment & NetworksSpace Software & Mission Tools
Livermore, California
EXPLORE
Arianespace logo

Arianespace

OPERATING
FRAEST. 1980

Operates Ariane 6 and Vega C launch vehicles from the Guiana Space Centre, serving European institutional and global commercial satellite customers

Launch ServicesSpaceports & Range Services
Évry-Courcouronnes, France
EXPLORE
Astranis logo

Astranis

OPERATING
USAEST. 2015

Builds small geostationary communications satellites for dedicated regional broadband and leases them to customers as a service

Satellite CommunicationsSatellite ManufacturingNavigation & Positioning
San Francisco, California
EXPLORE
Astroscale logo

Astroscale

OPERATING
JPNEST. 2013

Designs and operates spacecraft for on-orbit servicing, including debris removal, satellite life extension, and refueling across LEO and GEO

Space Sustainability & Debris RemovalIn-Orbit Servicing & AssemblySpace Domain Awareness
Tokyo, Japan
EXPLORE
Atomos Space logo

Atomos Space

OPERATING
USAEST. 2018

Develops orbital transfer vehicles for in-space transportation, satellite life extension, and payload delivery services

Space Transportation & LogisticsIn-Orbit Servicing & Assembly
Broomfield, Colorado
EXPLORE
Bellatrix Aerospace logo

Bellatrix Aerospace

OPERATING
INDEST. 2015

Develops electric and green propulsion systems for satellites and operates an orbital transfer vehicle for precise in-space deployment

Space Transportation & LogisticsSpace PropulsionSatellite Components & Subsystems
Bengaluru, India
EXPLORE
Benchmark Space Systems logo

Benchmark Space Systems

OPERATING
USAEST. 2017

Designs and manufactures chemical, electric, and hybrid propulsion systems for spacecraft ranging from cubesats to orbital transfer vehicles

Space Transportation & LogisticsSpace PropulsionSpace Sustainability & Debris Removal
Burlington, Vermont
EXPLORE
Blue Origin logo

Blue Origin

OPERATING
USAEST. 2000

Develops reusable heavy-lift launch vehicles, rocket engines, lunar landers, in-space logistics platforms, and satellite communications constellations

Launch ServicesLunar ServicesSpace Propulsion
Kent, Washington
EXPLORE
CesiumAstro logo

CesiumAstro

OPERATING
USAEST. 2017

Designs, manufactures, and integrates software-defined phased array communications systems, payloads, and satellites for space, airborne, and ground platforms

Satellite CommunicationsSatellite ManufacturingSatellite Components & Subsystems
Austin, Texas
EXPLORE
China National Space Administration logo

China National Space Administration

OPERATING
CHNEST. 1993

Governs China's civil space programs, oversees lunar and planetary exploration missions, and coordinates international space cooperation

Launch ServicesNavigation & PositioningPlanetary Exploration
Beijing, China
EXPLORE
ClearSpace logo

ClearSpace

OPERATING
LUXEST. 2018

Designs and operates robotic spacecraft for active debris removal, satellite life extension, and in-orbit inspection services

Satellite ManufacturingSpace Sustainability & Debris RemovalIn-Orbit Servicing & Assembly
Luxembourg, Luxembourg
EXPLORE
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