POLAR ORBIT

Domain	Definition
Aerospace	The orbit of an earth satellite that passes over or near the earth's poles. (references)
Science	An orbit with an orbital inclination of near 90 degrees where the satellite ground track will cross both polar regions once during each orbit. The term is used to describe the near-polar orbits of spacecraft such as the USA's NOAA/TIROS and Landsat satellites. (references)
Space	A satellite orbit passing over both poles of the Earth. During a 12-hour day, a satellite in such an orbit can observe all points on Earth. (references)
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Specialty Definition: Polar orbit

A polar orbit has an inclination of (or very close to) 90 Degrees against the Equator. A satellite on a polar orbit therefore passes above both poles of the planet on each revolution.

Since the satellite has a fixed orbital plane perpendicular to the planet's rotation, it will pass over a region with a different longitude on each of its orbits, therefore flying over every point on the planet twice within one day.

Polar orbits are often used for earth-mapping-, earth observation- and spy satellites, as well as some weather satellites.

Photo Album: POLAR ORBIT

Thumbnail	Description & Credit	Thumbnail	Description & Credit
	NOAA 5 lifts off. This satellite weighed 749 pounds , entered a near circular polar orbit 939.89 by 934.98 statute miles above the Earth, orbited every 116.32 minutes, and was inclined to the equator at 102.105 degrees. In addition to visible and infra-red imaging systems, it also carried early search and rescue beacon equipment. Credit: NOAA in Space.		Graphic showing difference of coverage of inclined orbit satellite versus polar orbit satellite. Credit: NOAA in Space.
Source: pictures compiled by the editor from various references; see picture credits.

Frequency of Internet Keywords: POLAR ORBIT

Anagrams: POLAR ORBIT

Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams
	Words within the letters "a-b-i-l-o-o-p-r-r-t"
	-2 letters: prolabor, troopial.
	-3 letters: airport, bipolar, orbital, parboil, potboil.
	-4 letters: bailor, barrio, oorali, orator, parlor, parrot, patrol, portal, probit, raptor, rialto, robalo, tailor, torpor, tribal.
	-5 letters: aboil, abort, aport, arbor, atrip, biota, bloat, bloop, boart, bolar, boral, brail, briar, broil, labor, libra, lirot, lobar, oboli, orbit, orlop, parol, patio, pibal, pilar, pilot, plait, polar, polio.
	Words containing the letters "a-b-i-l-o-o-p-r-r-t"
	+4 letters: proportionable, proportionably.
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. SCRABBLE® is a registered trademark. All intellectual property rights in and to the game are owned in the U.S.A and Canada by Hasbro Inc., and throughout the rest of the world by J.W. Spear & Sons Limited of Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, a subsidiary of Mattel Inc. Mattel and Spear are not affiliated with Hasbro.