Polar Orbit

A polar orbit has an inclination near 90°, passing over or near both of Earth's poles on each revolution. As Earth rotates beneath the satellite, successive ground tracks shift westward, allowing the satellite to observe the entire globe over a period of days. Polar orbits are used for global Earth observation, weather satellites (like NOAA's polar-orbiting fleet), and reconnaissance. Most sun-synchronous orbits are a specific subtype of polar orbit with inclinations of 96–99°.