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A geosynchronous transfer orbit or geostationary transfer orbit is a type of geocentric orbit. Satellites that are destined for geosynchronous or geostationary orbit are always put into a GTO as an intermediate step for reaching their final orbit.
A GTO is highly elliptic. Its perigee is typically as high as low Earth orbit , while its apogee is as high as geostationary orbit. That makes it a Hohmann transfer orbit between LEO and GSO.
A satellite destined for a GSO is usually placed into a GTO by its launch vehicle using the launch vehicle's high-thrust engines first, then the satellite moves from GTO into GSO using its own engines.
Manufacturers of launch vehicles often advertise the amount of payload the vehicle can put into GTO.