In celestial mechanics, an orbit describes the curved path of an object moving around another body due to the force of gravity. This path is maintained by a continuous balance between the object's inertia and the gravitational pull of the larger body. The shape of the orbit is typically an ellipse, and the parameters governing this movement, such as orbital velocity and semi-major axis, are determined by the masses and the initial conditions of the bodies involved. These physical principles are foundational to space exploration and are used to calculate the trajectories required for objects, including spacecraft and satellites, to remain within a stable and predictable path relative to a central mass.