2007-03-05 09:29:50 · 9 answers · asked by eon f 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
I'm with Arkalius its a very vague question...but it orbits so that is forward motion can overcome gravity just enough to hang there before it falls. Its kind of like because gravity is pulling on it it will turn the ship around the earth.
If they went out of the atmosphere beyond orbit they would drift off and we would have to send someone to retrieve them... if they didn't go far enough they would fall toward earth with gravity so they like to stay just perfect so they can remain just enough above earth to study it.
if your asking more of why itself then...
There is a thing called inertia (in er sha) that says something will keep doing what ever its doing, if nothing else affects it. like in space away from all planets and things that can affect if you push a ball forward it will keep going.
but so inertia will tell the shuttle to go forward while gravity will pull it down and make it go in a circular pattern
2007-03-05 09:44:23 · answer #1 · answered by ? 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Very simple: gravity.
The only difference between an object in orbit and an object falling directly towards the earth is that an object in orbit already has tangential motion perpendicular to the force of gravity. An analogy
is: on a bicycle you fall over if you lean while it's not moving, but simply turn a bit, if you lean while it is moving. That's because the leaning merely "contributes" to the angular momentum of a moving bycicle, just as gravity only "contributes" to the motion of an object in orbit.
2007-03-05 17:50:50 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
That's a very broad question... What other motion would you have it move in? If it didn't orbit around the Earth, it would fall back down to it.
2007-03-05 17:34:07 · answer #3 · answered by Arkalius 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
if the space shuttle did not orbit the earth, it would just fall back into the atmosphere, the shuttle needs to be going 17500 mph in forward velocity in order to stay in orbit, any slower, and it will fall back to earth and be destroyed.
2007-03-05 18:02:40 · answer #4 · answered by mcdonaldcj 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well if somthing has a reltive small mass and is by somthing with a relitivly large mass the small somthing will naturaly orbit around the big somthing. that is why the space shettle orbits the earth.
2007-03-05 18:02:13 · answer #5 · answered by Mr. Smith 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
one of newton's laws explain it, i believe.
the shuttle's body 'wants' to go straight (momentum), but the earth's gravitational pull is pulling it back down.
the effect is that the shuttle is essentially constantly falling towards earth.
make sense? cool.
2007-03-05 18:56:04 · answer #6 · answered by fixedinseattle 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because of the Earth's Gravitational Pull.....
2007-03-05 18:01:42 · answer #7 · answered by Canellalewy 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That is what objects in outer space do, its just natural.
2007-03-05 17:49:27 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
To "stay afloat"
Centipedal (centrifugal(?), I can never get those straight) force versus gravity.
2007-03-05 17:36:22 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋