low earth orbit

noun

: a usually circular orbit from about 90 to 600 miles (about 140 to 970 kilometers) above the earth

Examples of low earth orbit in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The company is also betting that as more commercial space ventures begin flying to the moon in partnership with NASA, deliveries to and from the surface will become more common, the way SpaceX now flies crew and cargo to the International Space Station in low earth orbit. —

Christian Davenport, Washington Post, 13 Mar. 2024 Researchers are concerned that more explosions or breakups could accelerate the Kessler Syndrome—a runaway chain reaction of orbital collisions that could render low earth orbit (LEO) hostile to almost any spacecraft. —

IEEE Spectrum, 16 Oct. 2019 Amazon plans to launch over 3,000 satellites into low earth orbit. —

Steve Mollman, Fortune, 14 Dec. 2023 Launching a kilogram payload to low earth orbit (LEO) currently costs at least $3000. —

IEEE Spectrum, 10 Apr. 2018 See all Example Sentences for low earth orbit

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'low earth orbit.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1961, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of low earth orbit was in 1961

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Low earth orbit.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/low%20earth%20orbit. Accessed 30 Jun. 2024.

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