Why does the International Space Station orbit Earth so fast?
Quick Answer
It moves at about 7.66 kilometers per second so that its sideways speed balances Earth’s gravity and it keeps falling around the planet.
The Full Story
The International Space Station stays in orbit because it is constantly falling toward Earth while moving forward fast enough to miss it. At roughly 400 kilometers above Earth, gravity is still strong, so the station must travel at about 28,000 kilometers per hour. That speed allows it to complete an orbit in about 90 minutes. The ISS has been continuously occupied since November 2000. Its rapid motion is typical for low Earth orbit and is what keeps astronauts in near-weightlessness.
Key Facts
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"Why does the space station scream around Earth every 90 minutes?"
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