Quote:
Originally Posted by PaugusBayFireFighter
I watch the ISS coverage often on NASA TV and the views are incredible, especially ones like this of the northeast USA. One interesting point, the Space Station is not "flying" as much as it is "free falling" towards Earth because of gravity. Very cool stuff.
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Well sort of free falling but countered by centripetal force. In classical Newtonian physics when the speed related centripetal force equals the gravitation force then a stable circular orbit is achieved.
http://www.physicsclassroom.com/Class/circles/u6l4c.cfm
All of those useful communications satellites are at a speed/altitude so that they orbit exactly once per day matching the earth's rotation hence "appear" to be parked in a fixed spot overhead. Of course the space station is in a much lower orbit and appears to zip along.