How Fast Is Low Earth Orbit Velocity?

7.8 km/s is Earth's orbital velocity at low altitude — the minimum speed to maintain orbit. Anything slower falls back to Earth; anything faster climbs higher. 'Orbiting' is just falling around the Earth so fast that you keep missing the ground.

Orbiting is just falling around the Earth fast enough to keep missing the ground — at 7.8 km/s, you keep falling forever.

• Minimum speed for orbit
• Faster, you climb; slower, you fall