ORBITAL MECHANICS

Orbits, transfers, gravity assists, and the math of spaceflight.

From low Earth orbit to Hohmann transfers to gravity slingshots — explore the orbital mechanics that define every space mission. Understand delta-v budgets, launch windows, and trajectory design.

20 orbits

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Planetary

PLANETARY

Areocentric Orbit (Mars)

250 – 80,000 km113-1480 min3.4 km/sΔv 2.1 km/s

0 – 0 kmVariable minVariable km/sΔv Less than Hohmann for r2/r1 > 11.94 km/s

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Earth Orbit

EARTH ORBIT

Geostationary Orbit (GEO)

35,786 – 35,786 km1436 min3.07 km/sΔv 11.4 km/s

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Transfer Orbit

TRANSFER ORBIT

Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO)

200 – 35,786 km630 min10.2 km/sΔv 2.5 km/s

36,086 – 36,386 km1448 min3.07 km/sΔv 0.011 km/s

1,500,000 – 1,500,000 km262800 min0.2-0.5 km/sΔv 3.4 km/s

57,900,000 – 5,906,400,000 km7603200 min29.8 km/sΔv 3.6 km/s

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Highly Elliptical

HIGHLY ELLIPTICAL

Highly Elliptical Orbit (HEO)

200 – 50,000 km600-1440 min1.5-10.5 km/sΔv 9.5-10.5 km/s

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Transfer Orbit

TRANSFER ORBIT

Hohmann Transfer Orbit

0 – 0 kmVariable minVariable km/sΔv Depends on orbits km/s

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Lagrange Point

LAGRANGE POINT

Lagrange Point Orbits

1,500,000 – 1,500,000 km525960 min0.01-0.5 km/sΔv 3.4 km/s

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Earth Orbit

EARTH ORBIT

Low Earth Orbit (LEO)

160 – 2,000 km88-127 min7.8 km/sΔv 9.4 km/s

15 – 100 km118 min1.6 km/sΔv 0.8 km/s

200 – 384,400 km7200 min10.8 km/sΔv 3.1 km/s

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Earth Orbit

EARTH ORBIT

Medium Earth Orbit (MEO)

2,000 – 35,786 km127-720 min3.9-7.8 km/sΔv 9.9 km/s

500 – 39,874 km720 min10.0 km/sΔv 9.6 km/s

200 – 1,000 km88-105 min7.5 km/sΔv 9.5 km/s

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Earth Orbit

EARTH ORBIT

Sun-Synchronous Orbit (SSO)

600 – 800 km96-100 min7.5 km/sΔv 9.5 km/s

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Maneuver

MANEUVER

Trans-Lunar Injection (TLI)

185 – 384,400 kmN/A min10.8 km/sΔv 3.1 km/s

1,000 – 46,300 km1436 min10.5 km/sΔv 10.0 km/s

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Earth Orbit

EARTH ORBIT

Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO)

100 – 450 km87-93 min7.9 km/sΔv 9.3 km/s

Explore every orbit type and orbital mechanics concept tracked on Space Launch Live. From Low Earth Orbit (LEO) where the ISS circles at 408 km, to geostationary orbit (GEO) at 35,786 km, to Hohmann transfer orbits and gravity assists that send probes to the outer planets — browse altitude ranges, orbital periods, velocities, delta-v requirements, and the missions that use each orbit. Space Launch Live tracks orbital parameters, satellite constellations, typical payloads, and the physics behind every trajectory.