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The fact that he is orbiting means he is being held by the gravitational force of the Earth. If not for that, he would be headed out of the solar system.

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How does the force of gravity on an astronaut orbiting in the space shuttle compare with the force of gravity on the same astronaut when she is standing on the earth s surface?

Gravity is proportional to the mass and inversely proportional to the square of the distance of the centre of the body or bodies.As the shuttle orbits at a comparatively low altitude and the mass remains constant the force diminishes only slightly. Being in free-fall does not mean there is no gravity.


What is the driving force that keeps planets orbiting a star?

The driving force that keeps planets orbiting a star is gravity. The star's massive gravitational pull attracts the planets, keeping them in their orbits. Additionally, the planets' own orbital velocity creates a balance between the gravitational pull and their tendency to move in a straight line, resulting in stable orbits around the star. This interplay of gravitational force and motion is described by Kepler's laws of planetary motion and Newton's law of universal gravitation.


What makes the satellite orbit?

A satellite will orbit due to a gravitational field, which is formed by the gravitational force between the satellite and stellar body. This force is equal to the product of the gravitational constant, and the masses of both objects divided by the square of the distance separating them.


The space surrounding a massive object subject to the body's force of attraction is?

The space surrounding a massive object subject to the body's force of attraction is the gravitational field. This field is responsible for exerting a force on any other object within its influence, causing it to experience gravitational acceleration towards the massive object.


Where would an astronaut weigh the most the moon or earth?

An astronaut would weigh more on Earth than on the moon due to the stronger gravitational pull of Earth. The gravitational force on the moon is about one-sixth that of Earth, so objects weigh less on the moon than on Earth.

Related Questions

Is gravitational force acting on a person who falls off a cliff or on an astronaut inside an orbiting space shuttle?

Yes, gravitational force is acting on both the person falling off a cliff and the astronaut inside an orbiting space shuttle. The person falling off a cliff experiences a gravitational pull towards the center of the Earth, causing them to accelerate downwards. The astronaut inside an orbiting space shuttle experiences a gravitational pull towards the Earth as well, but their motion is primarily governed by their speed and centripetal force that keeps them in orbit.


Why does an astronaut weigh less on the moon?

An astronaut weighs less on the moon because the moon has less mass than Earth, meaning weaker gravitational force. Weight is the result of the gravitational force acting on an object's mass, so with less force on the moon, the astronaut feels lighter.


Where does force needed to keep planets orbiting the sun come from?

The force is provided by the Sun's gravitational attraction.


A freely floating Astronaut pushes another freely floating astronaut in an artificial satellite What is the force applied by the 1st astronaut on the 2nd one?

The force applied would be zero as a freely floating astronaut feels weightlessness as the gravitational force acting on him is zero.


Who was the first black astronaut and member of the air force's manned orbiting laboratory program?

Major Robert Lawrence was the first African-American to become an astronaut and he was selected to be a part of the manned orbiting laboratory project.


When a astronaut is in space her body is acted upon by increased gravitational force from the earth?

No, it would be with a decreased force of gravity.


What forces continually changes a satellites direction?

That's the mutual gravitational force of attraction between the satellite and the central body that it's orbiting.


What is the gravitational force acting upon an astronaut when lifting off?

The actual gravitational force on the astronaut ... the force attracting him to themass of the earth ... is exactly the same as it always is, and is equal to his weight.But ... he feels as if there's more force on him, as if his weight has increased.That's because he's accelerating aboard the launch vehicle, and there's no wayto tell the difference between the force of gravity and the force of acceleration.


Do The Earth and Moon both exert a gravitational force on each other?

Yes, the Earth and Moon both exert a gravitational force on each other. This force is responsible for the Moon orbiting around the Earth.


Is centripetal force equal to gravitational force in working of a satillite?

No, centripetal force is the force required to keep an object moving in a circular path, while gravitational force is the force of attraction between two objects due to their mass. In the case of a satellite orbiting a planet, the centripetal force required to keep the satellite in orbit is provided by the gravitational force between the satellite and the planet.


What force continuously changes a satellites's direction?

That's the mutual gravitational force of attraction between the satellite and the central body that it's orbiting.


Why an astronot in orbiting satellite has a feeling of weightlessness?

the net force on bodies in stable orbit is nil, the force of gravitational attraction , is balanced by the centripetal force of velocity in a circle. . example, any orbit radius ( if orbit time not important) choose your orbit radius, calculate force of gravity, tailor velocity to produce balancing centripital force . f=((G*m1*m2)/d^2) force of gravity f = m2 *( v^2/d ) centripetal force G = newtons constant m1 = earth mass m2 = satellite mass d = orbital distance