High, High Tech The Science of Satellite Tracking Journaling Question: How many miles above the earth do the polar-orbiting satellites travel? Answer: As the reading states, the satellites travel 833 km above the earth. Amazingly, 833 km is equal to 517 miles! NOAA-15 before launch Copyright 2005 Journey North. All Rights Reserved. Please send all questions, comments, and suggestions to jn-help@learner.org