[JRandomFreeper]

And while the average speed may be the same... the speed at perigee and apogee may be very divergent? For a highly eliptical orbit?

/johnny

[dr_lew]

Based on conservation of angular momentum, the speeds at apogee and perigee are related by v_ar_a = v_pr_p, which gives v_p/v_a = ( 1+e )/( 1-e ) ~= 1+2e, for small eccentricity. So the variation is considerable even in this case.

( The shape of the orbit varies from circular only to second order in e, i.e. e². )