Moon orbital speed around Earth
Moon orbital speed around Earth is the average velocity at which the Moon travels along its orbit around our planet.
Also known as: Moon orbital velocity
How big is it?
3,679 km/h · mean orbital speed
Also 2,286 mph
Mean orbital speed · approximate
Typical recorded range: 3,492 km/h to 3,888 km/h.
A little perspective
Moon orbital speed around Earth vs Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird: speed comparison
The Moon’s orbital speed is about 1.04 times the cruise speed of the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird.
DISTANCE IN ONE SECOND
Moon orbital speed around Earth is the average velocity at which the Moon travels along its orbit around our planet.
1.022 km in 1 s
The Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird is a long-range, high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft developed for the United States Air Force during the Cold War.
980 m in 1 s
Measurements, assumptions & sources +
Moon orbital speed around Earth
Mean orbital speed: 3,679 km/h; approximate; range 3,492 km/h–3,888 km/h.
The Moon’s mean orbital speed around Earth is about 1.022 km/s. Its elliptical orbit makes instantaneous speed vary.
The marked mean orbital speed is calibrated. Unmeasured illustration details are representative.
Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird
Representative cruise speed: 3,528 km/h; specified; range 3,240 km/h–3,600 km/h.
A rounded SR-71 reference: 32.7 m long, 16.9 m span, about 78 t maximum takeoff mass and roughly 980 m/s at high-speed cruise. Mission profile changes speed and mass.
NASA Armstrong — SR-71 Blackbird
The marked representative cruise speed is calibrated. Unmeasured illustration details are representative.
Use the visual comparison to explore its scale, then check the measurements and sources.
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Why this measurement?
Why we use 3,679 km/h
We compare the Moon’s orbital speed. This is an estimate; check the notes for its rounding and uncertainty. The recorded range is 3,492 km/h to 3,888 km/h.
The Moon’s mean orbital speed around Earth is about 1.022 km/s. Its elliptical orbit makes instantaneous speed vary.
The picture identifies the subject; the diagram compares the recorded values. How calibrated comparisons work →
Recorded properties
Dimensions and measurements
| Property | Selected value | Recorded range | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3,679 km/h | 3,492 km/h to 3,888 km/h | approximate |
Around this scale
Explore nearby values.
Compare examples with lower, similar and higher values. Each card names the measurement being compared.
Nearest lower valueVehicles and transportLockheed SR-71 Blackbird3,528 km/hRepresentative cruise speedThe Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird is a long-range, high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft developed for the United States Air Force during the Cold War.
Around the same scaleMotion and speedBullet2,880 km/hSpeedA bullet is a small metal projectile fired from a gun or rifle.
Nearest higher valuePlanets, moons and spacePluto17,060 km/hOrbital speedPluto is a dwarf planet in the Kuiper Belt, composed of rock and ice and orbiting the Sun.Sources and method
Want to check the number?
The source records and measurement method remain available for inspection.
- NASA — Moon factsMean lunar orbital speed and synodic phase-cycle context.
There’s always another scale
Follow your curiosity.
SpaceMoon3,475 kmThe Moon is Earth’s natural satellite and the brightest large object in Earth’s night sky.
MotionEarth orbiting the Sun107,200 km/hEarth orbiting the Sun is the motion of our planet as it revolves around the Sun along its elliptical path.TransportLockheed SR-71 Blackbird32.7 mThe Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird is a long-range, high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft developed for the United States Air Force during the Cold War.MotionBullet2,880 km/hA bullet is a small metal projectile fired from a gun or rifle.
TransportConcorde62.1 mConcorde was a supersonic passenger airliner developed by British and French manufacturers that could travel faster than the speed of sound.
MotionEarth equator rotational speed1,674 km/hEarth equator rotational speed is the velocity at which a point on the equator moves eastward due to Earth's rotation.SpacePluto2,377 kmPluto is a dwarf planet in the Kuiper Belt, composed of rock and ice and orbiting the Sun.MotionSound in air1,235 km/hSound in air is the propagation of pressure waves through the atmosphere, which can be heard by humans and animals.