Center of mass separate bodies, such as the planets of the Solar System, the center of mass may not correspond to the position of any individual member of the system. The center of mass is a useful reference point for calculations in mechanics that involve masses distributed in space, such as the linear and angular momentum of planetary bodies and rigid body dynamics. In orbital mechanics, the equations of motion of planets are formulated as point masses located at the centers of mass. The center of mass frame is an inertial frame in which the center of mass of a system is at
Escape velocity a body that falls under the force of gravitational attraction of mass "M", from infinity, starting with zero velocity, will strike the massive object with a velocity equal to its escape velocity given by the same formula. When given an initial speed formula_2 greater than the escape speed formula_3 the object will asymptotically approach the "hyperbolic excess speed" formula_4 satisfying the equation: In these equations atmospheric friction (air drag) is not taken into account. A rocket moving out of a gravity well does not actually need to attain escape velocity to escape, but could achieve the same result (escape) at