Orbit class
Inclined Geosynchronous Orbit (IGSO)
Same altitude as GEO but tilted — traces a figure-8 ground track over a single longitude.
46 cataloged objects in this orbit class.
IGSO has the same 24-hour period as GEO but at an inclined orbital plane. The result: from the ground, the satellite traces a figure-8 pattern over a single longitude. China's BeiDou IGSO segment and Japan's QZSS Quasi-Zenith system use this to provide enhanced coverage at high latitudes where pure GEO performs poorly.
Examples
- BEIDOU-2 IGSO-2 (C07)
- IRNSS-1E
- TDRS 6
- USA 167
- USA 115 (MILSTAR-1 2)
- BEIDOU-2 IGSO-1 (C06)
- USA 169 (MILSTAR-2 4)
- BEIDOU-2 IGSO-6 (C13)
- BEIDOU-3S IGSO-2S (C56)
- FLTSATCOM 8 (USA 46)
- USA 157 (MILSTAR-2 2)
- UFO 2 (USA 95)
- SKYNET 4C
- INMARSAT 3-F3
- QZS-2 (QZSS/PRN 194)
- TDRS 5
- INMARSAT 3-F1
- BEIDOU-2 IGSO-4 (C09)
- BEIDOU-2 IGSO-5 (C10)
- TDRS 8
- USA 99 (MILSTAR-1 1)
- IRNSS-1B
- TDRS 3
- BEIDOU-3S IGSO-1S (C31)