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
Also 2,286 mph
Mean orbital speed · approximate
Typical recorded range: 3,492 km/h to 3,888 km/h.
A little perspective
About the same scale as Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird.
Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird: The Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird is a long-range, high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft developed for the United States Air Force during the Cold War.
Measurements, assumptions & sources +
Moon orbital speed around Earth
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
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.
Change your perspective
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Why this measurement?
Why we use 3,679 km/h
For comparison, this page uses mean orbital speed. This is labelled approximate; the central value is useful for comparison, while real values or measurement solutions can vary. 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 identifying illustration and the numerical comparison remain separate. How calibrated comparisons work →
Recorded properties
Moon orbital speed around Earth 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
Go smaller. Go bigger.
These links use compatible speed records, ordered around the selected value.
Nearest lower value · TransportLockheed SR-71 Blackbird3,528 km/hThe 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 scale · MotionBullet2,880 km/hA bullet is a small metal projectile fired from a gun or rifle.
Nearest higher value · SpacePluto17,060 km/hPluto 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.