Meanings
nounMolniya orbit (plural Molniya orbits)
plural Molniya orbits
- A highly elliptical orbit with an eccentricity of 0.74, inclination of 63.4 degrees, an argument of perigee of −90 degrees, and an orbital period of half a sidereal day, around the Earth.
- By analogy, the equivalent orbit for the southern hemisphere, with the argument of perigee changed to +90 degrees.
- broadlyBoth the northern and southern hemisphere orbits for the Earth.
- By analogy, equivalent orbits for other bodies, which provide low apparent motion across the dome of the sky at apoapsis, allowing long duration communications/observation with low tracking rates at polar latitudes.
- broadlyThe orbits around Earth and other bodies with these qualities.
Origin
From Russian мо́лния (mólnija, “lightning”) + orbit. The Russian word was used as the name for a series of Soviet/Russian communications satellites, and the orbits which they were placed in.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
APA
Molniya orbit. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Molniya%20orbit
MLA
“Molniya orbit.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Molniya%20orbit. Accessed November 5, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Molniya orbit,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Molniya%20orbit.
Source: Molniya orbit on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.