0
The way we measure someone's weight with a scale, requires forces to compress/extend springs, etc....
On Earth, gravity pulls downward, the scale is stopped by the floor. When you step on the scale, you are applying the force of gravity on the scale, which measures the amount of stretch.
In orbit, there is no resulting force for the scale to measure. The space ship is falling at the same speed as the astronaut and the scale. They can stand on the scale but it will ready ZERO.
The astronauts have mass, its just that for a scale to work, you need a force which is being minimized by falling around the Earth (orbit)
What else can I help you with?
Are astronauts really weightless while in orbit?
In orbit, astronauts experience a sensation of weightlessness due to the continuous free fall towards the Earth. They are not truly weightless, as gravity is still acting on them, but they are in a state of constant free fall that creates the sensation of weightlessness.
Why are astronauts floating above the Earth in a Space Shuttle really no weightless?
Weight is an expression of the gravitational force acting on an object. When the space shuttle is in orbit around the Earth, it is held there by the Earth's gravity. Since gravity is still acting on the shuttle and the astronauts inside, they still have weight. They are described as "weightless" because an object in orbit is in a constant state of free fall.
Does gravity pull on astronauts while in orbit around earth?
Yes. Gravity is what keeps them in orbit. If it were not for gravity, those astronauts would continue out into space in a straight line.
Because of free fall astonauts appear this way in orbit?
Because of free fall in orbit, astronauts experience a continuous state of falling towards Earth while moving forward at a high speed. This results in a sensation of weightlessness, giving the appearance that they are floating or flying inside the spacecraft.
Why did astronauts back in 1960s return to earth with muscles so weak that they had difficulty walking when they returned to the earth?
After any period in a place where the force of gravity is less than on the surface of the earth (or nearly weightless in orbit), muscles will begin to atrophy. The longer in space the weaker you get becuase the muscles do not have to counter the force of gravity. This also includes the heart muscle so the astronauts must be monitored while in space and for a while after their return to earth.
Are astronauts really weightless while in orbit?
In orbit, astronauts experience a sensation of weightlessness due to the continuous free fall towards the Earth. They are not truly weightless, as gravity is still acting on them, but they are in a state of constant free fall that creates the sensation of weightlessness.
Why are astronauts floating above the Earth in a Space Shuttle really no weightless?
Weight is an expression of the gravitational force acting on an object. When the space shuttle is in orbit around the Earth, it is held there by the Earth's gravity. Since gravity is still acting on the shuttle and the astronauts inside, they still have weight. They are described as "weightless" because an object in orbit is in a constant state of free fall.
When astronauts float while in orbit because inertia and what are balanced in orbit?
Gravity
Does gravity pull on astronauts while in orbit around earth?
Yes. Gravity is what keeps them in orbit. If it were not for gravity, those astronauts would continue out into space in a straight line.
Because of free fall astonauts appear this way in orbit?
Because of free fall in orbit, astronauts experience a continuous state of falling towards Earth while moving forward at a high speed. This results in a sensation of weightlessness, giving the appearance that they are floating or flying inside the spacecraft.
Why did astronauts back in 1960s return to earth with muscles so weak that they had difficulty walking when they returned to the earth?
After any period in a place where the force of gravity is less than on the surface of the earth (or nearly weightless in orbit), muscles will begin to atrophy. The longer in space the weaker you get becuase the muscles do not have to counter the force of gravity. This also includes the heart muscle so the astronauts must be monitored while in space and for a while after their return to earth.
How many astronauts go on the moon at a time?
During the Apollo missions, there were typically two astronauts who landed on the moon, while the third stayed in orbit around the moon. The lunar module carried two astronauts to the moon's surface, while the command module pilot remained in orbit.
Why do astronauts feel weightless while in orbit?
Astronauts in orbit are weightless, but not because they are beyond the pull of earth's gravity. If the moon, roughly 240,000 miles away, is within the influence of earth's gravity, so is an astronaut just a few miles up in comparison. Astronauts are weightless because they are in orbit, and being in orbit can be thought of very roughly as a special kind of freefall. They are held by gravity, but they are also moving along a path that keeps them from descending appreciably during their flight. If you remember clips you have seen of astronauts in the space station, floating freely, you can see how futile it would be to try to 'stand' on an ordinary house scale to measure how 'heavy' they are in pounds. But if you could sling an astronaut around on a kind of mass-measuring centrifuge (not too fast, of course) you would see that they are maintaining a healthy mass. Weight and mass are different measures, even if they seem to be indistinguishable on the earth's surface.
Why do astronauts feel weightlessness?
They feel weightless because they are indeed weightless when in orbit, in effect in freefall. Gravity tries to pull them down but the spacecraft motion carries it "past the planet" in an arc that is part of a circular or elliptical orbit. If the spacecraft slows down, it will be pulled toward the Earth by the considerable gravitational force. If an astronaut tries to use an ordinary scale to measure her weight, all attempts will be useless. The vessel she is in is under the influence of Earth's gravity, it is true, as is her body. But the vessel and her body are in the same orbit, at the same velocity. If she is motionless at the center of the vessel, no unbalanced forces will push her "down" toward the floor or hull of the vessel. And if there are some unbalanced forces, they are so small as to be negligible for all practical purposes. She will not be able to 'step' onto a scale, unless she is in some kind of rotating vessel, which would provide a kind of artificial gravity.
How many astronauts were in the first moon landing?
3. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the moon while Mike Collins stayed in orbit.
What did Neil Armstrong mean when he was heard to say he thinks he sees Santa Claus?
he was revering to a high speed light that passed by them while in orbit around earth . I believe they were going twice the speed of sound at the time. there's been several astronauts reports of UFOs' while orbiting earth not just US. astronauts. Russian astronauts for instance.
How many people flew to the moon?
Ten Apollo missions went to the moon; 6 of those landed on the moon. Each mission had a 3 man crew, so that's 30 astronauts. On the 6 missions which landed, one person stayed in orbit, while two landed, so 12 astronauts landed on the moon. See related link.
