Hohmann Transfer Orbit Calculator
Astrodynamics & orbital mechanics: Calculate insertion burns Δv₁ and Δv₂, transfer ellipse semi-major axis, time of flight (TOF), and rendezvous phase angle.
Central Body & Orbital Altitudes
Transfer Velocity & Mission Budget
Recommended Tools & Equipment
Tested hardware and components for high reliability
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is a Hohmann transfer the most fuel-efficient orbital transfer?
A Hohmann transfer uses an elliptical orbit that is tangent to both the departure circular orbit and the destination circular orbit. Because velocity vectors are perfectly collinear with the orbital velocity at both apse points (periapsis and apoapsis), all thrust is applied tangentially with zero cross-track steering loss, maximizing the Oberth effect.
What is the required delta-v to transfer from LEO to GEO?
Transferring from a 400 km Low Earth Orbit (LEO) to a 35,786 km Geostationary Orbit (GEO) requires approximately 3,935 m/s of delta-v in coplanar space (Δv₁ ≈ 2,440 m/s for transfer ellipse injection, and Δv₂ ≈ 1,495 m/s for circularization). If an inclination plane change is also required (e.g. 28.5° from Cape Canaveral), the apogee burn combines circularization and plane change, requiring ~4,200 m/s total.
When does a Bi-Elliptic transfer outperform a Hohmann transfer?
When the ratio of final to initial orbital radii (r₂ / r₁) exceeds 11.94, a three-impulse bi-elliptic transfer with an intermediate apogee placed far beyond the target orbit requires less total delta-v than a standard two-impulse Hohmann transfer, at the expense of substantially longer transfer duration.