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Rocket Delta-V Calculator (Tsiolkovsky)

Compute rocket delta-v from the Tsiolkovsky equation Δv = Isp·g₀·ln(m₀/m_f), or solve wet mass, dry mass, mass ratio, and propellant fraction.

Enter the specific impulse and any two of wet mass, dry mass, and delta-v; leave one blank to solve for it.

About this tool

The Rocket Delta-V Calculator is a free, in-browser spaceflight tool built on the Tsiolkovsky rocket equation, Δv = ve·ln(m₀/m_f), where m₀ is the wet (fully fuelled) mass, m_f is the dry (burnt-out) mass, and ve is the effective exhaust velocity. The exhaust velocity comes from the engine's specific impulse via ve = Isp·g₀, with the standard gravity g₀ = 9.80665 m/s². Delta-v is the fundamental currency of orbital mechanics — every manoeuvre has a delta-v cost.

All calculations run locally in your browser and nothing is uploaded, so your mission numbers stay on your device. Enter the specific impulse and any two of wet mass, dry mass, and delta-v, and the tool solves for the third. It also reports the mass ratio m₀/m_f, the propellant fraction, and the propellant mass, so you can see how much of the vehicle must be fuel.

The wet and dry masses can be in any consistent unit (kilograms, tonnes, pounds) because only their ratio enters the logarithm. As a worked example, an engine with Isp = 300 s and a mass ratio of 3 delivers ve = 2942 m/s and Δv ≈ 3,232 m/s. The exponential nature of the equation is why high delta-v missions demand either very high exhaust velocity or a punishingly large propellant fraction.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Tsiolkovsky rocket equation?
It is Δv = ve·ln(m₀/m_f), where ve is exhaust velocity, m₀ the wet mass, and m_f the dry mass. With specific impulse, ve = Isp·g₀ and g₀ = 9.80665 m/s², so Δv = Isp·g₀·ln(m₀/m_f).
What is specific impulse (Isp)?
Specific impulse measures engine efficiency in seconds; multiplying it by standard gravity g₀ = 9.80665 m/s² gives the effective exhaust velocity ve. Chemical rockets reach roughly 250–450 s, ion thrusters several thousand.
What delta-v does Isp 300 s and a mass ratio of 3 give?
The exhaust velocity is ve = 300 × 9.80665 ≈ 2,942 m/s, and Δv = 2,942 × ln(3) ≈ 3,232 m/s. The calculator returns this when you set wet mass 3, dry mass 1, and leave delta-v blank.
What is the propellant fraction?
It is the share of the wet mass that is propellant: 1 − m_f/m₀ = 1 − 1/R, where R is the mass ratio. A mass ratio of 3 means two-thirds of the vehicle is fuel — the equation's logarithm makes high delta-v very propellant-hungry.

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