Fire the departure and arrival burns of a classic Hohmann transfer - drag between LEO-to-GEO and Earth-to-Mars presets and read real delta-v and transfer-time figures as the craft coasts the transfer ellipse.
The teal marker is the departure burn, the orange marker is the arrival burn, and the teal path between the two orbit rings is the transfer ellipse the craft coasts along for exactly half an orbit.
Switch presets to compare a satellite-scale transfer (LEO to GEO, hours) against a planet-scale transfer (Earth to Mars, months) using the same two-burn maneuver and the same on-screen geometry.
Hohmann Transfer 3D Explorer
Watch the classic two-burn Hohmann transfer move a craft between two circular orbits - drag between a LEO-to-GEO satellite transfer and an Earth-to-Mars interplanetary transfer, and read the real delta-v and transfer-time figures for each.
Drag to orbit the view, scroll or pinch to zoom, and press Play transfer to fire the departure burn (teal marker), coast the transfer ellipse for exactly half an orbit, and fire the arrival burn (orange marker) to circularize. Click either marker on its own for that burn's delta-v.
The facts panel lists the inner and outer orbit radii, the transfer time, and the delta-v for each preset, so you can compare a satellite-scale maneuver measured in hours against a planet-scale maneuver measured in months using the same geometry.
- Two presets: LEO to GEO (r1=6,678 km, r2=42,164 km) and Earth to Mars (r1=1.0 AU, r2=1.524 AU)
- Departure burn and arrival burn shown as distinct clickable markers on the transfer ellipse
- Play transfer animates the craft coasting the transfer ellipse for exactly half an orbit, then circularizing on the outer orbit
- Facts panel reports real delta-v: 2.45 km/s and 1.47 km/s (3.92 km/s total) for LEO to GEO; about 3.6-3.9 km/s for Earth to Mars
- Transfer time reported for each preset: about 5.3 hours for LEO to GEO, 259 days one-way for Earth to Mars
- Runs fully in the browser with the vendored three.js engine - no account, no upload
Students connect the textbook two-burn maneuver to real numbers, mission planners get a quick refresher on how satellite-scale and planet-scale transfers use the identical geometry, and curious readers see why an Earth-Mars launch window only opens once every 26 months.
| Preset | Inner orbit r1 | Outer orbit r2 | Transfer time | Total delta-v |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LEO to GEO | 6,678 km | 42,164 km | about 5.3 hours | 3.92 km/s (2.45 + 1.47) |
| Earth to Mars | 1.0 AU | 1.524 AU | 259 days (one-way) | about 3.6-3.9 km/s |
Everything renders on your device with WebGL. The 3D engine loads once (about 0.7 MB) and is cached; no scene data is sent to a server.
The scene is an educational visualization of the standard two-burn Hohmann maneuver - it does not model launch windows, plane changes, gravity assists, or the Oberth-effect savings real departures exploit. On-screen orbit radii are compressed for readability; the r1, r2, transfer-time, and delta-v figures in the panel are real, sourced from NASA JPL Education and the standard two-burn Hohmann formulas.
For a step-by-step walkthrough, read the Hohmann Transfer 3D Explorer step-by-step guide. The Space 3D collection also includes the Kepler Orbits 3D Explorer for eccentricity and equal-area sweep, and the ISS Orbit Tracker for a single circular low-Earth orbit.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Hohmann Transfer 3D Explorer show?
A craft leaving one circular orbit (r1), coasting a transfer ellipse for exactly half an orbit, and arriving on a second circular orbit (r2) - the classic two-burn maneuver used to move satellites and spacecraft between orbits.
What is the difference between the LEO to GEO and Earth to Mars presets?
LEO to GEO models a satellite-scale transfer around Earth (r1=6,678 km, r2=42,164 km, about 5.3 hours). Earth to Mars models a planet-scale interplanetary transfer around the Sun (r1=1.0 AU, r2=1.524 AU, 259 days one-way). Both use the identical two-burn geometry.
What do the teal and orange markers mean?
The teal marker is the departure burn, fired at the inner orbit to enter the transfer ellipse. The orange marker is the arrival burn, fired at the outer orbit to circularize. Click either marker for its own delta-v figure.
Where do the delta-v numbers come from?
LEO to GEO uses the standard two-burn Hohmann formulas with Earth's published gravitational parameter and the LEO/GEO radii: 2.45 km/s for the departure burn, 1.47 km/s for the arrival burn, 3.92 km/s total. Earth to Mars uses the published NASA JPL Education figure of about 3.6-3.9 km/s (sources vary by how the departure burn is measured).
Why does Mars only have a launch window every 26 months?
Because Earth and Mars need to be in a specific relative position (Mars about 44 degrees ahead of Earth) for a minimum-energy Hohmann transfer to reach Mars's orbit exactly when Mars arrives there. That alignment repeats on Mars's synodic period relative to Earth, which is 779.94 days, or about 26 months.
Is this a mission-design simulation?
No. It is an educational visualization of the classic two-burn Hohmann maneuver - it does not model launch windows, plane changes, gravity assists, or the Oberth-effect savings real departures exploit. On-screen orbit radii are compressed for readability; the r1, r2, transfer-time, and delta-v figures in the panel are real.