Orbit Simulator
Two-body gravitation: launch a satellite and see elliptical, circular, or hyperbolic orbits depending on speed and direction. Connects to Kepler’s laws and energy in the central field.
Who it's for: Mechanics and astronomy; orbital energy and escape speed.
Key terms
- orbit
- Kepler
- eccentricity
- escape velocity
- two-body problem
How it works
A test mass in the central gravity field obeys a = −GM/r² toward the center. If the initial velocity is perpendicular to the radius with magnitude √(GM/r), the orbit is circular; lower speeds fall inward, higher speeds yield elliptical orbits or escape. Motion is integrated with velocity Verlet for better energy conservation than a basic Euler step.
Key equations
Frequently asked questions
- What makes an orbit circular?
- For a given radius, there is a specific tangential speed where centripetal requirement matches gravitational attraction; too slow you fall in, too fast the orbit opens.
More from Gravity & Orbits
Other simulators in this category — or see all 14.
Solar System
Interactive scaled model with time controls and orbital data.
Gravity Sandbox
Place masses and watch N-body gravitational interactions unfold.
Kepler's Laws
Elliptical orbits with equal-area sweeps visualized.
Escape Velocity
Launch from different planets and see trajectory results.
Gravitational Lensing
Massive objects bending light. Visual distortion effects.
Lagrange Points L1–L5
CRTBP effective potential; L1–L5; Coriolis test particle.