Which statement best explains the relationship between orbit inclination and a satellite's earth coverage?

• A. A satellite in a LEO with 0 degrees inclination has the best earth coverage.
• B. A satellite in a critically inclined HEO will have the best coverage of the Antarctic regions.
• C. A satellite in a highly inclined LEO will not be able to view locations in equitorial regions.
• D. A satellite in a LEO that is inclined 45 degrees will, in time, pass over every place on earth between 45 degrees north latitude and 45 degrees south latitude.

Answer: (D)

Orbit inclination sets how far from the equator a satellite can reach. The orbital plane is tilted by the inclination, so the sub-satellite point is confined to latitudes up to that angle. With a 45-degree inclination in a typical LEO, the ground track is limited to roughly ±45 degrees latitude. As the Earth turns beneath the orbit, the ground track shifts westward with each pass, so over time the satellite covers all longitudes within that latitude band. In other words, every location between 45 degrees north and 45 degrees south latitude will be passed over as the Earth rotates. A near-equatorial orbit stays near the equator and misses higher latitudes, while a highly inclined or polar orbit reaches extreme latitudes but doesn’t uniformly sample all locations within mid-latitude bands. This is why a 45-degree inclination best explains broad, time-averaged Earth coverage within that latitude range.