Convert Feet per Second to Orbital Speed (ISS)
Convert Feet per Second (ft/s) to Orbital Speed (ISS) (v_orb) instantly and accurately.
Conversion Formula
v_orb = ft/s × 3.979112272e-5
About Feet per Second
A foot per second (ft/s) = exactly 0.3048 m/s - the primary speed unit in US ballistics, hydraulics, and gas dynamics. .308 Winchester muzzle velocity ~2,750 ft/s; 9mm pistol 1,200-1,400 ft/s; .50 BMG 2,910 ft/s. Speed of sound at sea level 1,116 ft/s. River channel mean velocities 0.5-6 ft/s; NFPA sprinkler pipe flows also in ft/s. 1 ft/s = 0.3048 m/s = 1.09728 km/h = 60 ft/min.
About Orbital Speed (ISS)
The ISS orbits at ~408 km altitude at ≈7,660 m/s (27,576 km/h) - the practical LEO benchmark. At this speed it completes one orbit in 92.68 min (15.5 orbits per day), giving astronauts 16 sunrises and sunsets every 24 hours. Delta-v to reach LEO from Earth's surface is ~9,400 m/s (with gravity and drag losses). GEO at 35,786 km requires only ~3,075 m/s per Kepler's third law. 1 ISS speed ≈ 7,660 m/s.
Quick Reference Table
| Feet per Second (ft/s) | Orbital Speed (ISS) (v_orb) |
|---|---|
| 1 ft/s | 3.979 × 10-5 v_orb |
| 2 ft/s | 7.958 × 10-5 v_orb |
| 5 ft/s | 0.000198956 v_orb |
| 10 ft/s | 0.000397911 v_orb |
| 25 ft/s | 0.000994778 v_orb |
| 50 ft/s | 0.00198956 v_orb |
| 100 ft/s | 0.00397911 v_orb |