SpaceKids

Is There Gravity in Space?

Anousheh Ansari floats through the International Space Station.
Anousheh Ansari floats through the International Space Station. (Image credit: Documentary Channel)

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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Space.com Staff
News and editorial team

Space.com is the premier source of space exploration, innovation and astronomy news, chronicling (and celebrating) humanity's ongoing expansion across the final frontier. Originally founded in 1999, Space.com is, and always has been, the passion of writers and editors who are space fans and also trained journalists. Our current news team consists of Editor-in-Chief Tariq Malik; Editor Hanneke Weitering, Senior Space Writer Mike Wall; Senior Writer Meghan Bartels; Senior Writer Chelsea Gohd, Senior Writer Tereza Pultarova and Staff Writer Alexander Cox, focusing on e-commerce. Senior Producer Steve Spaleta oversees our space videos, with Diana Whitcroft as our Social Media Editor.