Which geographic areas can LEO constellations provide reliable coverage to that GEO satellites fixed on the equator cannot serve effectively?
Answer
The polar regions
The stationary nature of Geostationary Orbit (GEO) satellites, which are locked directly above the Earth's equator, imposes a severe limitation on their service area coverage. They cannot effectively communicate with areas near the poles because the satellite remains too far toward the horizon or below the horizon from those high-latitude locations. LEO constellations overcome this limitation. Since LEO satellites move rapidly and traverse paths that are not restricted to the equatorial plane, they can pass overhead of the polar regions, enabling LEO systems to provide reliable, consistent communication services to these previously underserved zones.
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