Which orbital class is primarily associated with navigation systems like GPS?
Answer
Medium Earth Orbit (MEO)
The text explicitly associates Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) satellites with navigation functions, specifically citing GPS satellites as examples residing in this range (between 2,000 and 35,786 kilometers altitude). MEO provides a good compromise: the satellites move slower than LEO craft, meaning they stay in view of a ground receiver for a longer period (hours rather than minutes), yet they are close enough to the Earth to provide the necessary timing accuracy for precise global positioning. LEO is favored for high-resolution imaging and quick constellation coverage, while GEO is reserved for communications requiring a fixed point link.
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