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This depends on what the satellite's function is. In some cases, we want our satellites in something called geosynchronous orbit. This means they rotate around the Earth at the same speed as the Earth turns, so that the satellite will always be right above the exact same place. There are other options as well. Lagrange Points, for example, are the places where the force of gravitational attraction between the Earth and the moon cancel out, creating a stable location to place sattellites. Some satellites are in low Earth orbit (LEO), like the International Space Station. This means that they are very close to the Earth, normally within about 1,200 miles of the Earth.