: Yes, it needs to constantly accelerate to push it away from a planet or moon,
: but it doesn't need to hit escape velocity, which is about 40,320 kph on
: Earth (Reach's would be a bit higher because it's more massive). According
: to NASA, the space shuttle only went about 4800 kph at an altitude of 45
: km, and its orbital speed was only about 28,000 kph. "Escape
: velocity" only refers to the initial speed an unpowered object (like
: an artillery projectile or a thrown baseball) would have to go to move
: permanently away from another object like the Earth.

There's also a difference between a velocity required to position an object in unpowered orbit at a certain distance, vs simply moving away from a planet. You never need to reach escape velocity if you're just going straight up and away. But as mentioned, if you want to put an object in orbit, without power of its own, you need to give it enough velocity to remain in orbit.

Escaping the gravity well for a powered vessel doesn't require escape velocity.
Launching an unpowered object into orbit does; and that required velocity will be different depending on where you want it to stay (if not to continue into space).

One could say the minimal velocity required to applied to an object so as to not return to Earth would be the amount required to launch an object straight up into unassisted geosynchronous orbit, which would vary depending on mass and distance from Earth. Any angle (orbit) to that trajectory, or departure from Earth, would require adjustments to the variables, and a greater energy requirement.