Satellite constellation in orbit, animation
Animation of a train of small satellites in low Earth orbit. Systems based on multiple satellites working together as a system are known as satellite constellations. Typically a number of satellites are placed in the same orbital plane, and the constellation comprises a number of planes. This gives users on the ground uninterrupted coverage and access to the satellite system. Existing systems using this method include the Global Positioning System (GPS) and the Iridium communications system. Several new systems have been proposed to deliver low-latency global internet connectivity, some comprising thousands of satellites.