Orbital Acceleration Calculator

Calculate the orbital acceleration of a satellite or object in orbit around a central body using Newton's law of universal gravitation.

Input Parameters

Default is Earth's mass

Default is Earth's radius

Calculation Results

Calculation Formula

a = GM/r²

Where:
a = Orbital Acceleration (m/s²)
G = Gravitational Constant (6.67430 × 10⁻¹¹ m³ kg⁻¹ s⁻²)
M = Mass of Central Body (kg)
r = Distance from Center (m)

Orbital Acceleration Calculator Usage Guide

Learn how to use the Orbital Acceleration Calculator and understand the physics behind orbital motion

How to Use This Calculator

  1. Enter the mass of the central body (e.g., Earth). The default is Earth's mass (5.972 × 10²⁴ kg).
  2. Enter the distance from the center of the central body to the orbiting object. The default is Earth's radius (6,371 km).
  3. Click the "Calculate" button to compute the orbital acceleration.
  4. The results will be displayed in both meters per second squared (m/s²) and kilometers per second squared (km/s²).

Understanding Orbital Acceleration

Orbital acceleration is the centripetal acceleration that keeps an object in orbit around a central body. According to Newton's law of universal gravitation, this acceleration is given by the formula a = GM/r², where G is the gravitational constant, M is the mass of the central body, and r is the distance from the center of the central body to the orbiting object.

Example Uses

  • Calculating the acceleration of a satellite in low Earth orbit
  • Estimating the acceleration of planets in our solar system
  • Understanding the relationship between orbital distance and acceleration

Note: For more complex orbital calculations, additional factors such as eccentricity and relativistic effects should be considered.