Orbital Velocity & Period Calculator
Calculate circular orbit speed and period at any altitude above Earth, the Moon, Mars or Jupiter.
Step-by-step working
- r = 6.3710e+6 + 400 km = 6.7710e+6 m
- v = √(GM/r) = 7672.6189 m/s
- T = 2π√(r³/GM) = 5544.8405 s
Mathematical Formula
Overview & Explanation
A circular orbit balances gravity with centripetal acceleration.
How It Works
- Compute r.
- Apply v = √(GM/r).
- Period from Kepler’s third law.
Practical Applications
- Satellite and ISS orbits.
Example 1: ISS at 400 km
≈ 7.67 km/s, 92 min.
Inputs
Body: Earth · Altitude (km): 400
Step 1
r = 6.3710e+6 + 400 km = 6.7710e+6 m
Step 2
v = √(GM/r) = 7672.6189 m/s
Step 3
T = 2π√(r³/GM) = 5544.8405 s
Circular orbital speed
Result
Example 2: geostationary 35,786 km
≈ 24 h.
Inputs
Body: Earth · Altitude (km): 35786
Step 1
r = 6.3710e+6 + 35786 km = 4.2157e+7 m
Step 2
v = √(GM/r) = 3074.9297 m/s
Step 3
T = 2π√(r³/GM) = 86141.8871 s
Circular orbital speed
Result
How it's calculated & sources
v = √(GM/r); T = 2π√(r³/GM); r = radius + altitude.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why lower orbits are faster?
Elliptical orbits?
Geostationary period?
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