Roughly 500 geostationary satellites are currently placed in a static orbit (as viewed by a ground-based observer) about our planet at an altitude ranging from 500 to 40,000 kilometers. The closest satellites orbitting the planet are believed to be spy satellites whereas most distant are the geostationary group of satellites with an instrinsic magnitude of 11 or greater. As a result, due to their distance and faint magnitude, geosats may be classified as the DSO's of the satellite world. At their high altitude not only can they virtually view the complete globe below them but they also have the unique characteristic of having their orbital speed closely match the rotational speed of the earth and, as such, give the impression to a ground-based observer of being stationary above the planet. These satellites have a wide range of applications and functions and include remote sensing (Meteosat, GOES-East and GOES-West, GMS etc) and such telecommunication functions as direct broadcast voice and video communications as well as live television coverage (Astra, Hot Bird, Telstar etc) by virtue of the fact they can beam their signal from a "fixed" point in space relative to a ground source.

Note: Arabsat 4B (BADR-4) was launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on November 8, 2006 and its purpose is television transmission, interactive TV and internet broadband services. It weighs 3.30 tons and broadcasts across Europe, the Middle East and North Africa using 32 Ku-band transponders. Arabsat 4C (BADR-6), weighing 3.40 tons, was launched on July 7, 2008 from Kourou, French Guiana and has a footprint involving the Middle East and North Africa with broadcasting and internet services using both C-band and Ku-band transponders (24 and 20 transponders respectively).