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In gravitationally bound systems, the orbital speed of an astronomical body or object (e.g. planet, moon, artificial satellite, spacecraft, or star) is the speed at which it orbits around either the barycenter (the combined center of mass) or, if one body is much more massive than the other bodies of the system combined, its speed relative to the center of mass of the most massive body.
Escape speed at a distance d from the center of a spherically symmetric primary body (such as a star or a planet) with mass M is given by the formula [2] [3] = = where: G is the universal gravitational constant (G ≈ 6.67 × 10 −11 m 3 ⋅kg −1 ⋅s −2 [4])
[nb 1] Earth's orbital speed averages 29.78 km/s (19 mi/s; 107,208 km/h; 66,616 mph), which is fast enough to cover the planet's diameter in 7 minutes and the distance to the Moon in 4 hours. [3] The point towards which the Earth in its solar orbit is directed at any given instant is known as the "apex of the Earth's way". [4] [5]
Space debris at geostationary orbits typically has a lower collision speed than at low Earth orbit (LEO) since all GEO satellites orbit in the same plane, altitude and speed; however, the presence of satellites in eccentric orbits allows for collisions at up to 4 km/s (14,400 km/h; 8,900 mph). Although a collision is comparatively unlikely, GEO ...
A low Earth orbit (LEO) is an orbit ... The particles travel at speeds up to 7.8 km/s (28,000 km/h; 17,500 mph), so even a small impact can severely damage a ...
The five species model is only usable for entry from low Earth orbit where entry velocity is approximately 7.8 km/s (28,000 km/h; 17,000 mph). For lunar return entry of 11 km/s, [23] the shock layer contains a significant amount of ionized nitrogen and oxygen. The five-species model is no longer accurate and a twelve-species model must be used ...
For a low Earth orbit, this velocity is about 7.8 km/s (28,100 km/h; 17,400 mph); [2] by contrast, the fastest crewed airplane speed ever achieved (excluding speeds achieved by deorbiting spacecraft) was 2.2 km/s (7,900 km/h; 4,900 mph) in 1967 by the North American X-15. [3]
Orbit Center-to-center distance Altitude above the Earth's surface Speed Orbital period Specific orbital energy; Earth's own rotation at surface (for comparison— not an orbit) 6,378 km: 0 km: 465.1 m/s (1,674 km/h or 1,040 mph) 23 h 56 min 4.09 sec: −62.6 MJ/kg: Orbiting at Earth's surface (equator) theoretical 6,378 km: 0 km