Is There Gravity in Space?

Anousheh Ansari floats through the International Space Station. CREDIT: Documentary Channel View full size image

Yes. Gravity is everywhere, even in space. Here’s how gravity works:

Anything that has mass generates gravity, but the effect becomes less with distance. Though at great distances the gravity of any object might be almost zero, it’s never truly zero.

When people say astronauts are in "zero-g," they’re not being truly accurate. Astronauts and any object orbiting Earth is actually falling sideways while also falling toward Earth. This is what creates an orbit, and for an astronaut it generates the feeling of weightlessness.

The force of Earth’s gravity at the orbit of the International Space Station, about 250 miles (400 kilometers) up, is still roughly 90 percent what it is when your feet are on the ground.

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