Orbital Speed Calculator

This calculator calculates the orbital speed of an object based on the mass of the central body and the orbital radius.

Input Parameters

Calculation Results

Calculation Formula

v = √(G × M / r)

Where:
v = Orbital Speed (m/s)
G = Gravitational Constant (6.67430 × 10-11 N·(m/kg)2)
M = Mass of Central Body (kg)
r = Orbital Radius (m)

Result

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Orbital Speed Calculator Usage Guide

Learn how to use the Orbital Speed Calculator and its working principles

How to Use

  1. Enter the mass of the central body in kilograms (kg). This is typically the mass of a planet, star, or other large body around which the object is orbiting.
  2. Enter the orbital radius in meters (m). This is the distance from the center of the central body to the orbiting object.
  3. Click the "Calculate" button to compute the orbital speed.
  4. The result will be displayed in meters per second (m/s).

Working Principle

The orbital speed of an object is determined by the gravitational pull of the central body. The formula used is derived from the balance between gravitational force and centripetal force:

v = √(G × M / r)

Where:

  • v is the orbital speed
  • G is the gravitational constant (6.67430 × 10-11 N·(m/kg)2)
  • M is the mass of the central body
  • r is the orbital radius

This formula shows that the orbital speed increases with the mass of the central body and decreases with the orbital radius.

Example

If you want to calculate the orbital speed of an object around Earth at a radius of 7,371,000 meters (which is approximately 500 km above Earth's surface), you would enter Earth's mass (5.972 × 1024 kg) and the orbital radius (7,371,000 m) into the calculator.