Why are astronauts outside a spaceship not pulled by Earth's gravity?

[mic*]

I responded because you had made a confusing and incorrect statement equating "stable" with "circular".

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.

 

[jbriggs444]

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.

Fair enough. With that understanding, I can withdraw my quibble.