ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Molniya orbit

Molniya orbit is like a special path that the satellites take around the Earth. It's like a big circle that goes up really high on one side, and then comes down low on the other side.

Imagine you're playing with a ball and you throw it really high in the air. The ball goes up, up, up and then starts coming down. That's kind of like what happens in a Molniya orbit.

The reason why satellites use a Molniya orbit is because it's really good for satellites that need to stay over one specific place on Earth for a long time. For example, if you wanted to keep an eye on the North Pole or Antarctica, you'd need a satellite that could stay in the same spot in the sky for a long time without moving.

So imagine you're sitting in a chair and spinning around in circles. Everything around you looks like it's moving really fast, even though it's not really going anywhere. That's kind of what it's like for a satellite in a Molniya orbit. It looks like it's moving really fast across the sky, even though it's not really going anywhere.

Overall, a Molniya orbit is like a special path that helps satellites stay in one place over Earth for a long time. It's like throwing a ball really high in the air and watching it come back down.
Related topics others have asked about: