Convert Mach (SI Standard) (Ma) to Cosmic Velocity - Third (v₃) instantly.
About these units
Mach (SI Standard) (Ma)
Mach is a dimensionless measure of speed relative to the speed of sound in a given medium. Mach 1 corresponds to the speed of sound, Mach 2 is twice that speed, and so on. Mach values change with temperature, atmospheric pressure, and altitude because the speed of sound changes with these conditions. Aircraft performance, supersonic flight, rocket design, and shockwave analysis all depend heavily on Mach numbers. Mach is more than just a speed measure—it categorizes aerodynamic regimes: Subsonic (Mach < 1), Transonic (Mach 0.8–1.2), Supersonic (Mach 1–5), Hypersonic (Mach > 5). Mach numbers therefore provide insight into aerodynamic behavior, not just velocity.
Cosmic Velocity - Third (v₃)
The third cosmic velocity is the speed required to escape the entire Solar System from Earth's orbit, overcoming the gravitational pull of the Sun. This speed is approximately 16.7 km/s, though missions often achieve this gradually using gravitational assists rather than brute-force acceleration. Space probes such as Voyager 1, Voyager 2, and New Horizons have exceeded v₃, making them interstellar travelers. The third cosmic velocity represents the threshold where an object ceases to be bound to the Sun and begins drifting through the galaxy—one of the most profound expansions of human technological capability.