1. What is Orbital Speed?

Orbital speed is the velocity needed for an object to maintain a stable orbit around a celestial body. It depends on the mass of the central body and the distance from its center.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the orbital speed equation:

Where:

• \( v \) — Orbital speed (m/s)
• \( G \) — Gravitational constant (6.67430 × 10⁻¹¹ m³/kg·s²)
• \( M \) — Mass of the central body (kg)
• \( r \) — Orbital radius (distance from center, m)

Explanation: The equation balances gravitational force with centripetal force required for circular motion.

3. Importance of Orbital Speed Calculation

Details: Calculating orbital speed is essential for satellite deployment, space mission planning, and understanding celestial mechanics.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the gravitational constant (default is 6.67430 × 10⁻¹¹), central mass in kg, and orbital radius in meters. All values must be positive.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What's Earth's orbital speed around the Sun?
A: Approximately 29.8 km/s (using Sun's mass and Earth's average orbital radius).

Q2: Does this work for elliptical orbits?
A: This calculates speed for circular orbits. For elliptical orbits, speed varies throughout the orbit.

Q3: What's the ISS's orbital speed?
A: About 7.66 km/s at 400 km altitude (using Earth's mass and radius plus altitude).

Q4: How does altitude affect orbital speed?
A: Higher orbits (larger r) have slower orbital speeds, following inverse square root relationship.

Q5: What units should I use?
A: Use SI units: meters for distance, kilograms for mass, and the gravitational constant in m³/kg·s².