What is a key advantage of polar orbiting satellites compared to geostationary satellites?

A key advantage of polar orbiting satellites is indeed the level of detail in the image captured. These satellites travel over the poles as the Earth rotates beneath them, allowing them to pass over the entire surface of the Earth over time. This enables them to collect detailed imagery and data that can cover various regions effectively, including areas not visible to geostationary satellites.

Polar orbiting satellites can provide high-resolution images because they fly at lower altitudes compared to geostationary satellites. Being closer to the Earth's surface reduces the distance the satellite's sensors need to cover, leading to higher quality imaging. They effectively capture data that can be used for applications ranging from environmental monitoring to disaster management.

In contrast, geostationary satellites maintain a fixed position relative to the Earth's surface, which means they can only observe areas directly beneath them. This is advantageous for continuous monitoring of equatorial regions but limits the detail obtained for non-equatorial zones. Furthermore, polar orbiting satellites also do not typically have higher operational costs, and their design is not meant to remain stationary relative to the Earth’s surface, as that characteristic defines geostationary satellites.