BharatNotes Geostationary
adjectiveUsage in a UPSC answer
India's strategic autonomy in communications and disaster management rests heavily on its fleet of geostationary satellites, whose fixed vantage over the subcontinent enables uninterrupted broadcasting, telemedicine and early-warning meteorology.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Word Family
geostationary (adj), geosynchronous (adj), geosynchrony (n)
Root
Greek geo- (γῆ) = earth + Latin stationarius = standing still; statio = a standing
Etymology
From Greek geo (γῆ, "earth") + stationary (from Latin stationarius, "standing still"); the concept was popularised by science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke in the 1940s; the first geostationary satellite was launched in 1963; India's GSAT and INSAT communication satellites operate in this orbit.
Memory Hook
"Geo" (Earth) + "stationary" (standing still): a satellite that hovers stationary over one spot of the Earth, like a kite tied to a fixed point in the sky.
Seen in UPSC Question Papers
- Prelims 2020 — Space Technology
- Prelims 2018 — Space Technology
- Prelims 2011 — Space Technology
Real UPSC previous-year questions whose text uses “Geostationary” — proof this word earns its place on your list.
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