why dont satellites fall from the sky ?

Question by jacob Reward: Log in to view Status: Pending a resolution
why dont satellites fall from the sky ?



Reply from jackpot149 User Rating:  50 Knowledge Tokens
eventually they will because of drag from the atmosphere (slight but significant in low earth orbit), gravitational perturbations, and other slight effects which will cause the orbit to decay.

The more pedestrian answer, however, is that the satellites have enough speed to fall around the earth instead of falling into the earth. Low earth orbit, the speed is some 17,500 mph. Any slower and the orbit will eventually intersect the earth, i.e. fall from the sky.
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