Orbital energy ($E$)

Orbital energy is the mechanical energy associated with relative motion and mutual attraction. In the isolated Newtonian two-body problem, let $\mu =m_1{m}_2/(m_1+m_2)$ be the reduced mass, $r$ the separation and $v$ the relative speed. ThenDividing by $\mu$ gives specific orbital energy. With zero potential energy at infinity, negative $E$ gives a bound Kepler orbit, zero gives the parabolic limit and positive $E$ gives an unbound encounter.

For an elliptic orbit, $E=-G{m}_1{m}_2/(2a)$ with semi-major axis $a$. Energy loss can therefore shrink a bound orbit, whereas a sufficiently large gain can unbind it. External forces or interactions with additional bodies invalidate conservation of the isolated pair's orbital energy.