Orbital Manoeuvres

Slow down to speed up

An interactive lesson with 7 steps, about 6 minutes: you predict, drag and solve, with instant feedback on every answer. It runs in your browser and needs JavaScript.

What you’ll learn

• Circular orbit speed $v = \sqrt{GM/r}$: lower orbits are faster.
• To catch something ahead in your orbit, slow down first.
• Hohmann transfers use two burns to move between orbits efficiently.

Steps

1. Faster when lower
2. Catching the station
3. Hohmann transfers
4. Two burns to a higher orbit
5. Around in 90 minutes
6. A geostationary orbit
7. Orbit speed