Concepts

Escape Velocity

Also Known As Second Cosmic Velocity

Citation Formats

General Reference

Space and Astronomy Atlas. "Escape Velocity." Accessed August 30, 2026. https://dev-space.interactiveatlas.org/concepts/escape-velocity.

APA Style

Space and Astronomy Atlas. (n.d.). Escape Velocity. Retrieved August 30, 2026, from https://dev-space.interactiveatlas.org/concepts/escape-velocity

BibTeX

@misc{spaceandastronomyatlas-escape-velocity,
  author = {Space and Astronomy Atlas},
  title = {Escape Velocity},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://dev-space.interactiveatlas.org/concepts/escape-velocity},
  note = {Accessed August 30, 2026}
}

The minimum speed an object needs to break free of a body's gravitational pull without further propulsion. Earth's escape velocity from the surface is about 11.2 kilometers per second, a figure every launch vehicle must ultimately overcome to leave Earth orbit entirely.

Facts

Concept Domain

Orbital Mechanics 1

Formulated Year

1687 2

The escape-velocity relation follows directly from Newton's law of universal gravitation, published in the Principia in 1687; the term itself came into general use later.

Proposed By

Isaac Newton 2

Cross-Tradition Connections