Which force keeps the Moon in orbit around Earth?

The Moon’s orbit is a classic example of gravity in action. Earth’s gravitational attraction bends the Moon’s path into a curved orbit rather than letting it fly off in a straight line. At the same time, the Moon’s own motion keeps it from falling into Earth. This balance between inertia and gravity is described by Newtonian mechanics and refined by Einstein’s general relativity. The same principle governs satellites, planets, and many other objects in space.