1. What is Satellite Velocity?

Satellite velocity is the speed required for an object to maintain a stable orbit around a celestial body. It balances gravitational pull with the object's inertia to prevent it from either falling back to the planet or escaping into space.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the satellite velocity equation:

Where:

• \( v \) — Orbital velocity (m/s)
• \( G \) — Gravitational constant (6.67430 × 10⁻¹¹ m³/kg·s²)
• \( M \) — Mass of the planet/body being orbited (kg)
• \( r \) — Orbital radius from planet's center (m)

Explanation: The equation shows that velocity increases with larger masses and decreases with larger orbital distances.

3. Importance of Satellite Velocity

Details: Calculating precise orbital velocities is essential for satellite deployment, space missions, and understanding celestial mechanics. It determines orbital period and ensures stable orbits.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the planet's mass in kilograms and the orbital radius in meters (distance from planet's center to satellite). Both values must be positive numbers.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What's Earth's orbital velocity at surface level?
A: Approximately 7900 m/s (7.9 km/s), known as the first cosmic velocity.

Q2: How does altitude affect velocity?
A: Higher orbits (larger r) require lower velocities. For example, geostationary satellites move slower than low Earth orbit satellites.

Q3: What's escape velocity?
A: Escape velocity is \( \sqrt{\frac{2GM}{r}} \), about 11.2 km/s from Earth's surface.

Q4: Does satellite mass affect velocity?
A: No, orbital velocity is independent of the satellite's mass (assuming it's much smaller than the planet).

Q5: What about elliptical orbits?
A: This calculator gives circular orbit velocity. Elliptical orbits have varying speed (faster at periapsis, slower at apoapsis).