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Q: What is a spacecraft that stays in orbit around a planet or moon?
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Why does the space shuttle's orbit apparently follow a wave pattern?

I think you mean, :why does the orbit of satellites, etc. look like a sine wave? Well, every orbit around the earth looks like a circular (or elliptical ring) whose center (or focus) is at the center of the earth. An orbit exactly above the equator is one such orbit, but any orbit can be tilted as long as the center (or focus) stays at the earth's center and the whole orbit is flat like a disk. On various maps this makes the orbit look like a wave, but on a globe it stays a flat circle (or ellipse).


Explain why a space shuttle will stay in in orbit around the earth and will not fall to the earth?

The space shuttle is traveling at a speed such that its fall to earth matches the curvature of the earth. As a result, it is "falling" to the earth at the same rate that the earth's surface is rotating away, so it stays in orbit.


What is a satellite that stays in one location is called?

No satellites stays exactly still as they could not remain in orbit, but probably you are meaning a geostationary satellite. The orbit of these satellites matches the speed of the earth turning underneath them, so they remain above the same geographical point on the earth.


What causes the space shuttle to stay in orbit?

The reason the Space Shuttle (or any other orbiting object) stays in orbit is a combination of centrifugal force and falling. Basically, the object is constantly falling due to gravity. However, it's also traveling around the planet and the centrifugal force of that travel is equal to the gravity causing it to fall. This is why inside the craft is weightless, gravity is negated by the force. This is also why some objects fall, their orbit and speed are not matched 100% to the force of gravity, so they slowly fall into the earth. This is also how shuttles and other ships come back to earth, they slow their orbit and gravity takes over!


Why does the space shuttle fly in the thermosphere?

it doesn't necessarily fly, its in a constant angular free fall around the planet which is what being in orbit means. But if you're asking why the space shuttle stays in the thermosphere, the answer would be because thats the layer of the earth's atmosphere where a space shuttle's velocity is enough to counteract the earth's gravitational pull, creating an angular free fall as mentioned earlier.

Related questions

Why planets stay in orbit as they revovle around the sun?

As you know gravity pulls things to it and our sun being 99% of our solar systems mass makes it to where every planet stays in orbit around the sun.


What makes planets stay in orbit around the sun?

Each planet stays in its orbit because it is being pulled constantly by the Sun's gravity. The planet does not fall into the Sun because it has a velocity taking it along its orbit, so the effect of gravity is only to make the planet's path curve towards the Sun all the time.


What planet spins with a retrograde orbit?

the sun because it stays in one place and obits.


What forces keep the comet in orbit around the sun?

A comet stays in orbit by the gravitational pull of other planets/ objects in space but pulled to a planet because of the stronger pull gravity.


If a planet runs into the sun will the sun explode?

Planets can't run in to the sun. It stays on orbit.


Has the Hubble been to Pluto?

No, the Hubble Telescope stays in orbit around the Earth.


Why do astronauts feel weightless when they are in orbit?

True "zero gravity" occurs for orbiting spacecraft because the vehicle is in effect in "freefall" around the planet : although gravity is trying to pull it down, its horizontal motion carries it on an arc past the planet. For spacecraft sufficiently far from Earth (several thousand miles), there is imperceptibly low gravity. The acceleration force gravity exerts is reduced as the square of the distance from the center of gravity. While enroute to the Moon, Apollo astronauts reached locations where the gravity from the Earth and Moon were almost exactly opposite and tended to cancel each other. When spacecraft approach the Moon or Earth, local gravity begins to exert a larger force, and unless an orbit is achieved as above, it will be dragged down to the surface or into the atmosphere. *Technically, the virtually imperceptible force experienced is called "microgravity" because the net forces of gravity from the Earth, Moon, and Sun still affect objects in orbit.


Do planet revolve around the sun at different distance?

Yes, as long as you mean Orbit. Orbit and Revolve are two different things. Each planet does both. It revolves, Earth does this once every day. It Orbits the sun once each Year. Yes, each planet has it own orbit as it goes round. It stays at the same distance, give or take a bit. That is why the inner planets always seem to stay near the Sun in the sky, while each outer planet can go round behind us (opposition) when it appears at its brightest in the midnight sky.


How the sun earth and moon move around in space?

Everything is held together by the Suns gravity , so it stays in orbit.


What happens if the sun cause gravity?

The Sun does have a gravitational force. As a result of this force, Earth stays in orbit around the Sun.


Is the work is done when satellite orbits around the earth?

No because it stays in orbit and takes pictures of the ever changing earth.


What will happen if an astronaut stays too long on a planet?

if its a planet like earth, nothing much. if its the moon or another planet, risk of dying from running out of supply, or get a hole in a spacesuit,hole in spacecraft or home in there house. also may be a risk of micro gravity on the person that's waiting for the people on the moon in space.