Escape Velocity Calculator

Calculate Minimum Speed to Escape Gravity

Calculate the minimum velocity needed to escape the gravitational pull of a celestial body using v_e = √(2GM/R).

Celestial Body Parameters

kg

Use scientific notation (e.g., 5.972e24)

m

Use scientific notation (e.g., 6.371e6)

Formula

v_e = √(2GM/R)

where: G = 6.674×10⁻¹¹ m³/(kg·s²)

Note

Escape velocity is independent of the object's mass and only depends on the celestial body's mass and radius.

Common Values

Earth:11.2 km/s
Moon:2.4 km/s
Mars:5.0 km/s
Jupiter:59.5 km/s
Sun:617.5 km/s

About Escape Velocity

Escape velocity is the minimum speed needed for an object to escape from the gravitational influence of a celestial body without further propulsion.

  • Independent of object's mass
  • Depends only on celestial body's mass and radius
  • Same in all directions

Applications

  • Space mission planning
  • Rocket design and fuel requirements
  • Planetary atmosphere retention
  • Black hole event horizons
  • Satellite orbital mechanics