How do stationary space satellite stay in place, and not go around the earth with out falling?

Question

How do stationary space satellite stay in place, and not go around the earth with out falling?

In: Physics

Answer 1

Geostationary satellites are still orbiting, which means they’re moving sideways fast enough that the curve as they fall follows the Earth’s surface and so they maintain the same altitude. What keeps them “stationary” is that their orbital speed is the same as the rotation speed of the planet beneath (e.g. it takes them 24 hours to make a complete circuit), so they stay in the same place in the sky.