Why do astronauts float aboard the International Space Station?
Quick Answer
They are in continuous free fall around Earth, which creates microgravity rather than true zero gravity.
The Full Story
Astronauts on the International Space Station seem weightless because the station and everything in it are falling around Earth at the same rate. The station orbits at roughly 400 km altitude and travels at about 28,000 km/h, which keeps it from falling into Earth even though gravity is still strong there. This state is called microgravity, not zero gravity, because tiny gravitational and motion-related forces still remain. The ISS has been continuously occupied since November 2000, making it a long-running laboratory for human spaceflight.
Key Facts
YouTube Angle
Suggested video title for this topic:
"Astronauts don’t escape gravity—they keep falling around Earth."
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