Ballistic Velocity Calculator

Property to Calculate:

Velocity at a given instance (v):

Entry velocity (v_e):

Scale height (h_s):

Reference air density (ρ₀):

Atmospheric density at given altitude (ρ):

Ballistic coefficient (β):

Flight path angle (γ):

How This Is Calculated

$$ \frac{v}{v_e} = exp{ \left( \frac{h_s \rho_0 }{2 \beta sin \gamma} \frac{\rho}{\rho_0} \right) } $$ where:

v = Velocity at a given instance (m/s)

v_e = Entry velocity (m/s)

h_s = Scale height (m)

ρ₀ = Reference air density (kg/m³)

ρ = Atmospheric density at given altitude (kg/m³)

β = Ballistic coefficient (kg/m²)

γ = Flight path angle (°)

Assumptions

Atmospheric density follows an exponential model.
No lift is generated.
Effects of gravitational acceleration are ignored.
Heating and ablation effects are ignored.

Related Calculators

Debye Length

Ionization Rate

Plasma Frequency

Ballistic Coefficient

Density in Exponential Atmoshpere