What is the approximate orbital speed the ISS clocks in at when circling the Earth?
Answer
Approximately 17,500 miles per hour
The International Space Station maintains an astonishingly high horizontal velocity as it orbits the Earth. This speed is clocked in at approximately 17,500 miles per hour. This tremendous speed is crucial because it creates a dynamic balance with the Earth's gravitational pull. The station is technically falling toward the planet constantly, but due to this high sideways velocity, it continually curves around the Earth's curvature, effectively missing the surface with every pass. If this speed were to drop significantly, the gravitational force would dominate, causing the station to descend rapidly.
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