🔍 Key Concepts

• Low Earth Orbit (LEO) vs. geostationary orbit (GEO) altitudes • Typical altitude range used by Iridium and similar polar‑orbiting communication satellites • Effect of satellite altitude on signal delay and coverage

💭 Think About

• First, recall whether Iridium satellites are in low Earth orbit or geostationary orbit. Which answer choice best matches that type of orbit? • Think about why Iridium phones generally have lower time‑delay (latency) than traditional shipboard satellite systems that use geostationary satellites. • Compare the listed distances with the Earth’s radius (~3,440 nautical miles / ~3,963 statute miles). Which options are realistic for low Earth orbit vs. very high orbits?

✅ Before You Answer

• Verify which altitude range corresponds to geostationary orbit (GEO) – this will help you eliminate at least one choice immediately. • Check which distances are more typical for low Earth orbit (generally a few hundred to around a thousand miles above Earth). • Eliminate options that would imply very long signal travel distance and delay, which does NOT match Iridium’s known low‑latency behavior.