Delta-v Budgeting and Transfer Orbits

In space, distance doesn't matter; Delta-v matters. It is the universal currency of mission planning.

Delta-v (Δv) represents the total amount of velocity change a spacecraft can produce. It is determined by the Tsiolkovsky rocket equation:

Where $m_0$ is the initial mass (wet) and $m_f$ is the final mass (dry).

Hohmann Transfers

The most fuel-efficient way to move between two circular orbits in the same plane is a Hohmann transfer—an elliptical orbit that intersects both the initial and target orbits.