TechnicalMEO
Medium Earth Orbit
Orbital regime between LEO and GEO, approximately 2,000 km to 35,786 km altitude, primarily used for navigation satellites.
Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) lies between LEO and GEO, primarily used for navigation satellite constellations due to favorable coverage and signal geometry.
Orbital Characteristics
- Altitude: 2,000-35,786 km
- Period: 2-24 hours
- Common altitudes: ~20,000 km (navigation)
Primary Uses
- Navigation (GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, BeiDou)
- Communications (some constellations)
- Scientific satellites
Navigation Constellation Orbits
- GPS: ~20,200 km, 55° inclination
- Galileo: ~23,222 km, 56° inclination
- GLONASS: ~19,130 km, 64.8° inclination
Debris Considerations MEO has lower debris density than LEO but longer orbital lifetimes:
- Natural decay takes centuries
- Disposal options limited
- Graveyard orbits possible but not standard
EU Space Act Application MEO operators follow standard authorization requirements with case-by-case disposal assessment.