Delta-v (Δv)
Delta-v (Δv) is the change in velocity a spacecraft must produce to perform a manoeuvre — launching, changing orbit or landing — and it is the basic currency of orbital mechanics.
Every mission has a delta-v budget, because a rocket carries only enough propellant for a fixed total change in velocity.
Reaching low Earth orbit takes roughly 9.4 km/s of delta-v, and each further manoeuvre spends part of what remains.
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Related terms
- Max-Q — Max-Q is the moment during a rocket launch when aerodynamic pressure on the vehicle is at its greatest, usually about a minute after liftoff.
- Orbital period — The orbital period is the time a satellite takes to complete one full orbit, set almost entirely by its altitude.
