Final answer:
The minimal orbital speed around the Moon would be lower than the Earth's 8 km/s due to the Moon's weaker gravity, with its escape velocity being only 2.38 km/s.
Step-by-step explanation:
The minimal orbital speed about Earth is roughly 8 km/s mainly due to Earth's gravitational pull. For the Moon, which has a significantly weaker gravitational force than Earth does, the minimal orbital speed required would be less. The Moon's surface gravitational acceleration of approximately 1.62 m/s² compared to Earth's 9.8 m/s² indicates that an object would need less speed to maintain a stable orbit. In fact, the Moon's escape velocity is only about 2.38 km/s, substantially less than that of the Earth, which is 11.2 km/s. Therefore, the minimal orbital speed about the Moon would be lower than that of the Earth, reflecting the Moon's reduced gravitational pull on satellites or other objects.