2007-01-18 15:26:38 · 5 answers · asked by res_314 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
its either 17,500 or 35,000 mph
2007-01-18 15:33:23 · answer #1 · answered by wesnaw1 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The shuttle maintains a Low Earth orbit, which is an orbit that stays a steady 300 km or so above the surface of the Earth. *Any* object (shuttle included) at that height which is in a circular orbit must be moving at approximately 5 miles per second (= 8 km/sec = Mach 25 = 18,000 mph). Moving at that speed, it takes about 80 minutes to make one orbit.
2007-01-18 15:39:18 · answer #2 · answered by Mike 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The speed varies according the exact orbit the space shuttle takes. Most recent missions have been to the International Space Station, which orbits the Earth once every 91.61 minutes.
Since the ISS is located around 360km above the Earth's surface, this means that the space station orbits at 7.7 kilometers per second, which is around 17000 miles per hour. When the space shuttle is visiting the ISS, its speed will be roughly equal to this figure.
2007-01-18 15:37:19 · answer #3 · answered by Paul B 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
About 8 km a second. One orbit takes 84 minutes.
2007-01-18 15:34:52 · answer #4 · answered by zee_prime 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
takes them about 90 minutes to go around the earth.
2007-01-18 15:32:43 · answer #5 · answered by llloki00001 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋