This downplays the carve-out Congress made for geosynchronous satellites, which can transmit across the entire continent.

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It passed far closer even than the geosynchronous satellites that orbit the Earth, but there was no risk of impacts or collisions.

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Geosynchronous satellites are so distant that their images aren't sharp, while low-earth orbit satellites, which fly as low as 100 miles, can feed information only when they pass over an area of interest.

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Lockheed Martin's original SBIRS contract includes HEO payloads, two geosynchronous orbit (GEO) satellites, as well as ground-based assets to receive and process the infrared data.

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However, equipment to contact these satellites can cost thousands of dollars and none have ever been geosynchronous or high-bandwidth.

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