Satellite delay is the noticeable
latency due to the limited
speed of light
The speed of light in vacuum, commonly denoted , is a universal physical constant that is important in many areas of physics. The speed of light is exactly equal to ). According to the special theory of relativity, is the upper limit fo ...
, when sending data to and from satellites, especially distant
geosynchronous satellite
A geosynchronous satellite is a satellite in geosynchronous orbit, with an orbital period the same as the Earth's rotation period. Such a satellite returns to the same position in the sky after each sidereal day, and over the course of a day tra ...
s. Bouncing a signal off a geosynchronous satellite takes about a quarter of a second, which is enough to be noticeable, but relaying data between two or three such satellites increases the delay.
See also
*
Geosynchronous satellite
A geosynchronous satellite is a satellite in geosynchronous orbit, with an orbital period the same as the Earth's rotation period. Such a satellite returns to the same position in the sky after each sidereal day, and over the course of a day tra ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Satellite delay
Engineering concepts