Escape Velocity Calculator

Escape velocity is the minimum speed an object needs to break free from a body's gravitational pull without any further propulsion. The formula is simple: v = √(2GM/r), where G is the gravitational constant, M is the mass of the body, and r is the distance from its center. The result tells you how fast something must be launched to escape that gravity well entirely with no engines required after the initial push.

It can be surprising as to how much this number varies.  Earth's escape velocity is about 11.2 km/s. Jupiter's is over 59 km/s. The Sun's surface escape velocity is around 617 km/s. And for a neutron star, it can be a significant fraction of the speed of light. Use the calculator below to explore escape velocities for planets, stars, galaxies, and any custom body you wish.

Escape Velocity Calculator

Quick-select a known body: — Custom / enter manually — Moon Mars Earth Venus Jupiter Saturn Sun Sirius A Neutron Star (typical) Sgr A* (Milky Way black hole) Milky Way Galaxy Mass of body (kg): Radius / distance from center (meters):

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