What type of orbit does a satellite travel in when moving from west to east around the 0-degree latitude?

A satellite traveling from west to east around the 0-degree latitude is in an equatorial orbit. This type of orbit is characterized by its alignment with the Earth's equatorial plane, meaning the satellite's path lies along the equator.

In an equatorial orbit, the satellite maintains an orbital inclination of 0 degrees relative to the equator, allowing it to cover the same longitude lines at the same time of day. This is beneficial for applications such as weather observations and communications, where consistent coverage of specific geographic areas is essential.

Polar orbits involve satellites passing over the poles, which is not the case here. A synchronous orbit, on the other hand, would require the satellite to match the rotational speed of the Earth and typically involves a geostationary orbit over the equator, but this does not pertain to moving west to east along the 0-degree latitude. An inclined orbit features a tilt with respect to the equator, which also does not apply in this scenario of west-to-east travel directly along the equator.