Discuss the use of geostationary satellites in global communication.

Geostationary satellites play a crucial role in global communication. A single satellite cannot provide coverage over the entire Earth due to the planet’s curvature, which blocks a large portion of the surface from view. To overcome this, three satellites are placed in a geostationary orbit, spaced 120° apart. These satellites, equipped with radio transponders, enable line-of-sight communication between any two points on Earth.

Such satellites are known as synchronous communication satellites (SYNCOMS). The geostationary orbit is also referred to as the Clarke geosynchronous orbit or Clarke arc, named after the renowned science writer Arthur C. Clarke, who first proposed the concept of communication satellites in 1945.