WordNet
n. a circular orbit around the Earth having a period of 24 hours
Wikipedia
A geosynchronous orbit (sometimes abbreviated GSO) is an orbit around the Earth with an orbital period of one sidereal day, intentionally matching the Earth's sidereal rotation period (approximately 23 hours 56 minutes and 4 seconds). The synchronization of rotation and orbital period means that, for an observer on the surface of the Earth, an object in geosynchronous orbit returns to exactly the same position in the sky after a period of one sidereal day. Over the course of a day, the object's position in the sky traces out a path, typically in a figure-8 form, whose precise characteristics depend on the orbit's inclination and eccentricity.
A special case of geosynchronous orbit is the geostationary orbit, which is a circular geosynchronous orbit at zero inclination (that is, directly above the equator). A satellite in a geostationary orbit appears stationary, always at the same point in the sky, to ground observers. Popularly or loosely, the term "geosynchronous" may be used to mean geostationary. Specifically, geosynchronous Earth orbit (GEO) may be a synonym for geosynchronous equatorial orbit, or geostationary Earth orbit. Communications satellites are often given geostationary orbits, or close to geostationary, so that the satellite antennas that communicate with them do not have to move, but can be pointed permanently at the fixed location in the sky where the satellite appears.
A semi-synchronous orbit has an orbital period of ½ sidereal day, i.e., 11 h 58 min. Relative to the Earth's surface it has twice this period, and hence appears to go around the Earth once every day. Examples include the Molniya orbit and the orbits of the satellites in the Global Positioning System.
Usage examples of "geosynchronous orbit".
I had to hang up, but half an hour later Yuri Glinkov, their director of operations, was on the line, promising me that his huge Energia boosters could do anything I wanted them to do, yes even get an orbital habitat into geosynchronous orbit.
Status lights show geosynchronous orbit at thirty thousand kilometers.
At a geosynchronous orbit it will stay in place, and it will hold the elevators up.
He visualized a corporation that would, for a healthy fee, freeze a little of your epithelial tissue and orbit it high--well above the Van Alien belts, maybe even higher than geosynchronous orbit.
I'll tell you: it means that in principle you should be able to take a mass from one point of the field -- let's say the surface of the Earth -- out to some other point -- let's say geosynchronous orbit -- using a certain amount of energy.
It's not in geosynchronous orbit anymore, it's higher than that, but we can still reach the midpoint.
They were still talking when the Methuselah set, and bad to continue through the network of communications satellites in geosynchronous orbit.
In its place came the familiar and comforting sight of Earth as seen from geosynchronous orbit, thirty-five thousand kilometers above the surface.
A moment later Thian nodded approval as the shuttle landed so smoothly only he and Semirame were aware that they had been transported the thirty-six thousand kilometers to the geosynchronous orbit above the surface of the planet—.
A moment later Thian nodded approval as the shuttle landed so smoothly only he and Semirame were aware that they had been transported the thirty-six thousand kilometers to the geosynchronous orbit above the surface of the planet--though there was a startled look on Wixell's face, as she'd been facing one of the two portholes.
Thian had control of those investigating the planet while Clancy and Semirame Kloo had sent theirs to the sphere set in a geosynchronous orbit above what appeared to be the same sort of flat field used for Hiver scout ships on the Xh-33 Hiver world.
Alpha Omega Nine Satellite traveling in a geosynchronous orbit at an altitude of twenty-two thousand three hundred miles, the other a U.
The club (called Little Luna, an affectionate term for the Robotech Factory Satellite that had been in geosynchronous orbit until the arrival of the alien ships) was SRO by the time Dana and Bowie arrived.
In essence, the space elevator starts out as a satellite in geosynchronous orbit.