// ORBITAL LOGISTICS AND PROPULSION TERM
Velocity Increment
Velocity increment, often called delta-v, is the change in speed and direction a spacecraft needs to make to alter its orbit or trajectory. It's a measure of the "effort" required for a maneuver.
TECHNICAL DEFINITION
Velocity increment (ΔV or delta-v) is a scalar measure of the change in velocity required to perform an orbital maneuver, such as changing altitude, inclination, or transferring between orbits, directly proportional to the propellant mass expended via the Tsiolkovsky rocket equation.
BACKGROUND
The International Space Station (ISS) is a space station in low Earth orbit (LEO). It is the product of the International Space Station program and is operated by five partner space agencies: NASA, Roscosmos (Russia), ESA (Europe), JAXA (Japan), and CSA (Canada). It is the first space station built, maintained and crewed through international cooperation and the largest human spacecraft ever constructed. It is an orbital research station, where scientific experiments in microgravity are conducted and the space environment is studied. Since 2 November 2000, it has hosted the longest continuous presence of humans in space. Alongside Tiangong, it is one of the only two currently operational space stations.
READ MORE ON WIKIPEDIASYNONYMS & ALIASES
- Delta-v
- ΔV
- change in velocity
- propulsive impulse
USAGE NOTE
Mission planners calculate velocity increments to determine the fuel requirements for spacecraft maneuvers.
DEVELOPERS
Organizations developing technology related to Velocity Increment.
Develops and operates advanced launch vehicles (Falcon 9, Starship) and spacecraft (Dragon), where maximizing velocity increment efficiency is central to their mission profiles, including orbital insertion, rendezvous, and interplanetary travel.
Focuses on developing reusable launch systems (New Glenn) and lunar landers (Blue Moon), which inherently involve significant velocity increment capabilities and advanced propulsion technologies.
A leading manufacturer of propulsion systems for space launch vehicles, satellites, and deep-space probes, directly providing the engines that generate velocity increments.
Develops and manufactures a wide range of spacecraft, launch vehicles, and advanced propulsion systems, with extensive work in mission design requiring precise velocity increment calculations.
Develops launch vehicles (Electron, Neutron) and in-space propulsion systems (Curie engine, Photon spacecraft), enabling precise and efficient velocity increments for small satellites and interplanetary missions.
Specializes in in-space transportation and infrastructure services, using water plasma propulsion to provide efficient velocity increments for satellite orbital transfer and maneuvering.
Develops orbital transfer vehicles and in-space propulsion solutions designed to efficiently deliver velocity increments for satellites to reach desired orbits or destinations.
As a major aerospace prime contractor, Lockheed Martin designs and builds numerous spacecraft and planetary probes, requiring sophisticated propulsion systems and mission planning to achieve necessary velocity increments.
A leading center for robotic exploration of the solar system, JPL designs and operates spacecraft that require highly optimized trajectories and propulsion systems to achieve specific velocity increments for complex interplanetary missions.