📘 Definition
Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) is a circular orbit at exactly 35,786 km altitude above the equator, where the orbital period matches Earth's rotation (23 hours 56 minutes). A satellite in GEO appears stationary relative to a point on the ground, making it ideal for telecommunications, television broadcasting, and weather monitoring. GEO slots are a finite, internationally regulated resource. At end of life, GEO satellites are moved to a graveyard orbit approximately 300 km above GEO.