<p>Objects in orbit pass over the surface above what's commonly called their <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ground_track" rel="nofollow noreferrer">ground track</a>. For objects in low earth orbit, though they go around the earth every 1.5 or more hours, the Earth rotates beneath them so they don't trace a simple "circle" over the same points on land.
<a href="https://i.sstatic.net/GPmQU.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/GPmQU.jpg" alt="Ground track - NASA image from Wikipedia"></a></p>

<p>The orbit is around the Earth in a fixed plane, so we are likely (but not guaranteed) to see the satellite pass over 12 or 24 hours later.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-04-27T08:30:42.020Z
2016-04-27T09:33:29.430Z
2016-04-27T09:33:29.430Z
Andy
<p>I used to go to my roof to see the ISS, but it is not always visible. Then it appears again but does it appear with the exact same orbit as I saw before?
Thanks!</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-04-27T07:24:08.753Z
We go out of the plane for twelve hours, as the Earth rotates inside the orbit.
SE - stop firing the good guys
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-04-27T11:43:27.703Z
Are you asking how long it takes the ISS to complete an orbit? Or are you asking how long it takes the ISS to be in the same place again?
Tanenthor
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-04-27T16:41:30.730Z
This question belongs at Space Exploration, but is already answered there: http://space.stackexchange.com/questions/6505/iss-time-between-two-successive-observations-and-orbital-period
called2voyage
<orbit><artificial-satellite><iss>
How much time does the ISS take to repeat its orbit?
Xavier
# How much time does the ISS take to repeat its orbit?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-04-27)

I used to go to my roof to see the ISS, but it is not always visible. Then it appears again but does it appear with the exact same orbit as I saw before?
Thanks!

**Tags:** orbit, artificial-satellite, iss
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: We go out of the plane for twelve hours, as the Earth rotates inside the orbit.  
> **username_2**: Are you asking how long it takes the ISS to complete an orbit? Or are you asking how long it takes the ISS to be in the same place again?  
> **username_3**: This question belongs at Space Exploration, but is already answered there: http://space.stackexchange.com/questions/6505/iss-time-between-two-successive-observations-and-orbital-period  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2016-04-27. Score: 3

Objects in orbit pass over the surface above what's commonly called their [ground track](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ground_track). For objects in low earth orbit, though they go around the earth every 1.5 or more hours, the Earth rotates beneath them so they don't trace a simple "circle" over the same points on land.
[![Ground track - NASA image from Wikipedia](https://i.sstatic.net/GPmQU.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/GPmQU.jpg)

The orbit is around the Earth in a fixed plane, so we are likely (but not guaranteed) to see the satellite pass over 12 or 24 hours later.


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