Communications satellite of a GEO satellite. Like LEOs, these satellites don’t maintain a stationary distance from the earth. This is in contrast to the geostationary orbit, where satellites are always approximately from the earth. Typically the orbit of a medium earth orbit satellite is about above earth. In various patterns, these satellites make the trip around earth in anywhere from 2 to 8 hours. In 1962, the first communications satellite, Telstar, was launched. It was a medium earth orbit satellite designed to help facilitate high-speed telephone signals. Although it was the first practical way to transmit signals over the horizon, its major
APT Satellite Holdings a different department of the State Council. The establishment of APT Satellite Company Limited was approved by the State Council of the People's Republic of China on 26 March 1992. However, the company was in fact incorporated on 21 January 1992 as Free Union Limited, renaming to Trans-Asia-Pacific Satellite Communications Co., Ltd. on 10 March and finally APT Satellite Co., Ltd. on 15 April. As at 31 December 2016, APT Satellite Holdings, via wholly owned subsidiary APT Satellite Company Limited (“APT Satellite” or “APSTAR”) owns and operates four in-orbit satellites that include Apstar 5, Apstar 6, Apstar 7 and Apstar