Astronauts outside a spaceship are not exempt from Earth's gravity; they experience the same gravitational pull as the spacecraft itself. Both the astronaut and the spacecraft are in free fall, maintaining a stable orbit around Earth. This phenomenon creates the sensation of weightlessness, as they are falling at the same rate. The centripetal force acting on them is due to gravity, not because they are being pushed by the spacecraft.
PREREQUISITESThis discussion is beneficial for physics students, aerospace engineers, and anyone interested in understanding the dynamics of space travel and the effects of gravity on astronauts in orbit.
jbriggs444 said:I responded because you had made a confusing and incorrect statement equating "stable" with "circular".
Fair enough. With that understanding, I can withdraw my quibble.mic* said:I did not equate stable with circular. I provided the formula for a stable circular orbit without explicitly stating that it was a simplification only applicable to circular orbits.