geosynchronousadj.
/ˌdʒiːə(ʊ)ˈsɪŋkrənəs/, /dʒɪəˈsɪŋkrənəs/, U.S. /ˌdʒioʊˈsɪŋkrənəs/ Of an artificial satellite: having an orbital period of one sidereal day (23h 56m 4s); designating such an orbit; of or relating to such a satellite or orbit; spec. = geostationary adj.A geosynchronous orbit around the earth is situated at about 26,200 miles (42,160 km) from the centre of the earth, corresponding to a height above sea level of about 22,240 miles (35,790 km). A geosynchronous orbit is not geostationary if it lies at an angle to the earth's equatorial plane; a satellite in such an orbit is seen to trace a figure of eight in the sky each day.
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the world > the universe > planet > primary planet > secondary planet, satellite > [adjective] > geostationary
stationary1947
geostationary1960
geosynchronous1967
1967 Trans. XIV Gen. Assembly (Internat. Union Geodesy & Geophysics) 103 To this end a geosynchronous magnetometer satellite, measuring the three directional components of magnetic time variations should be planned.
1976 CB Mag. June 132/2 Another major advance..was marked with the advent of NASA's Syncom series, the first to be launched in geosynchronous orbit.
1990 Amer. Poetry Rev. Mar.–Apr. 41/2 Beside it, with face upraised, transfixed on a geosynchronous position, the dish drinks in the signal.
1994 J. Barnes Mother of Storms (1995) 261 You could give the Earth a moon in geosynchronous, inclined orbit so that it moved north and south in a tight figure eight.
2005 BusinessWeek 18 Apr. 89/2 A space elevator..would ferry astronauts and their craft beyond the earth's gravity by climbing a cable made of strong and light carbon nanotubes..up to geosynchronous orbit.
This is a new entry (OED Third Edition, March 2012; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.1967