Earth Orbit Calculator

Calculate the orbital velocity and period for a satellite in a circular orbit around Earth.

Orbit Parameters

Altitude (h) (km)

Calculation Results

Enter altitude to calculate

About this calculator

Quick Reference

G6.674×10⁻¹¹ m³/(kg·s²)

M5.972×10²⁴ kg (Earth Mass)

rEarth Radius + Altitude

vOrbital Velocity

Overview

This calculator determines the speed and time it takes for an object to orbit Earth at a specific altitude, assuming a circular orbit.

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Pro Tips

Altitude is the height above the Earth's surface.
The total radius of the orbit is R = Earth Radius + Altitude.
The International Space Station (ISS) orbits at an altitude of approximately 400 km.

Fun Facts

"A Geostationary orbit occurs at about 35,786 km, where the satellite stays above the same point on Earth."
"To stay in a low Earth orbit (LEO), a satellite must travel at roughly 7.8 km/s (over 17,000 mph)."
"The orbital period increases as you move further away from Earth."

Formula: v = sqrt(GM / r)