Ground track
（重定向自Ground trace）
![Ground track of the International Space Station for approximately two periods. The light and dark regions represent the regions of the Earth in daylight and in night, respectively.](/Images/godic/202501/16/Iss_ground_track1613.jpg")
![A geostationary orbit, as viewed from above the North Pole](/Images/godic/202501/16/Geostationary_orbit-animation1613.gif")
![The ground track of a Molniya orbit](/Images/godic/202501/16/Molniya1613.jpg")
A ground track or ground trace is the path on the surface of the Earth directly below an aircraft or satellite. In the case of a satellite, it is the projection of the satellite's orbit onto the surface of the Earth (or whatever body the satellite is orbiting).