how can satellites and space ships stay orbiting around the Earth if our planet is moving at very high speeds across the universe?
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They are close enough that the gravitational pull of our planet keeps them in orbit. On the other hand, they have a velocity around earth not for keeping them from flying off but to keep them from falling down stabilising their orbital path
It’s all very localised, the gravity of the earth kinda “holds” everything close, and orbiting the planet is “like falling to the ground and missing” to paraphrase someone
You’re absolutely correct that the Earth is moving at very high speeds, both in relation to the Sun and in relation to the galaxy.
But the thing is, *so are the satellites and space ships.* They launched from Earth, so they’re moving at the same speed.
If you have an ant on your arm walking around, and you are walking, on a bus, which is driving at 50 kilometers per hour, which is on the earth moving at over 1000 kilometers per hour… the ant is just going to stay on your arm. Because to the ant, your arm is stationary.
It’s the same thing, the motion is relative to the next higher thing it’s attached to. The moon travels around the earth which travels around the sun which travels around the galaxy. But to the moon, everything else is stationary.
Speed is relative in space.
You’re moving 0mph relative to the Earth’s surface.
You’re moving 200-1000mph relative to the Earth’s core though because it’s rotating.
You’re moving 67,000mph around the sun
You’re moving 450,000mph around the galactic core
You’re moving 1,300,000mph relative to the other galaxies nearby
So when we say a satellite is orbiting the Earth, we’re talking about its motion relative to Earth. All those other reference points are the same for both the earth and the satellite so they don’t really matter.
There’s essentially nothing in space to “slow” anything down besides gravity. And since gravity goes in all directions, the further you get from a source of gravity, the less it effects things, very quickly. So only “near” objects really have an effect on one another. So the gravity of the Earth keeps anything small close to it, and they travel with it. And the Earth is most effected by the gravity of the Sun, and travels with it. And the sun moves about whatever is at the center of the Milky Way. And so on. It’s all systems of smaller things moving about bigger things.
How can you stay in a plane when it flies 500mph? Just fine, have a nap if you wish. In relation to the plane, you are sitting perfectly stationary, what does it matter how fast the plane is in relation to the ground?
It’s important to understand there is no preferred frame of reference for the universe, speed is always relative between two objects, when you are orbiting a planet, then your speed in relation to the planet is all that matters. What is your speed in relation to other planets, stars or galaxies, is not relevant.
It’s all very localised, the gravity of the earth kinda “holds” everything close, and orbiting the planet is “like falling to the ground and missing” to paraphrase someone
They are close enough that the gravitational pull of our planet keeps them in orbit. On the other hand, they have a velocity around earth not for keeping them from flying off but to keep them from falling down stabilising their orbital path
Speed is relative in space.
You’re moving 0mph relative to the Earth’s surface.
You’re moving 200-1000mph relative to the Earth’s core though because it’s rotating.
You’re moving 67,000mph around the sun
You’re moving 450,000mph around the galactic core
You’re moving 1,300,000mph relative to the other galaxies nearby
So when we say a satellite is orbiting the Earth, we’re talking about its motion relative to Earth. All those other reference points are the same for both the earth and the satellite so they don’t really matter.
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