Orbital Velocity and Stable Orbits

Описание: Orbital velocity is the speed needed for an object to maintain a stable orbit around a celestial body like a planet or star. This speed is determined by a balance between gravity, which pulls the object inwards, and the object's inertia, which makes it want to travel in a straight line.

The orbital velocity depends on the mass of the central body (like Earth) and the distance of the orbiting object from its center. A heavier central body exerts a stronger gravitational pull, requiring a higher orbital velocity. Similarly, objects farther away orbit more slowly. For Earth, the orbital velocity near the surface is about 7.9 km/s, allowing satellites to stay in low Earth orbit. This precise speed prevents the object from falling back to Earth or escaping into space.

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