Tundra orbit

Okay kiddo, have you ever heard of the tundra? It's a cold and icy place found in the far north where not many animals can survive. Now imagine that place but in space! This is what we call a tundra orbit.

In space, there are many different ways that satellites can move around the Earth. A tundra orbit is a special type of orbit where the satellite moves in a path that is tilted at a very specific angle to the Earth's equator. This special angle means that the satellite's path takes it over the Earth's north and south poles, just like how Santa Claus flies his sleigh over the North Pole every Christmas!

This type of orbit is useful for certain types of satellites, like those that need to take pictures of the Earth's polar regions. Because the satellite goes over the poles, it can capture images of the entire polar region as it rotates below. This is especially important for studying things like the changing climate or tracking the movements of ice sheets.

But the tundra orbit isn't just for Earth observations. It can also be used for communication satellites or for military surveillance. These types of satellites need to be in a high orbit so that they can see a large area of the Earth's surface. The tundra orbit lets them do this while still flying over the polar regions.

So there you have it, kiddo! A tundra orbit is when a satellite moves in a path that takes it over the Earth's north and south poles. It's useful for taking pictures of the polar regions, communicating, and spying for the military. It's like a tundra in space!