Why Do Objects Float in Orbit?
So why do astronauts float in space? The answer is that they are in free fall. Gravity pulls all objects the same way, even if they are different sizes. If you drop a hammer and a feather on Earth, the hammer will fall faster. But that is not because gravity pulls them differently. Air makes the feather fall more slowly. If there were no air, they would fall together at the same speed. Some amusement parks have free-fall rides. On those rides, a cabin falls along a tall tower. If you let go of a ball at the start of the fall, you and the ball would fall together. The ball would appear to float in front of you! That is what happens in a spacecraft. The spacecraft, its crew and everything aboard are all falling around Earth. Since they are all falling together, the crew and objects appear to float. How Can Spacecraft Fall Around Earth? What does it mean to “fall around Earth”? Earth’s gravity pulls objects toward the surface. Gravity pulls on the space station, too. As a result, it is fa
