Weightlessness in space:
Space travellers as well as objects in the spacecraft appear to be floating. Why does this happen? Though the spacecradft is at a height from the surface of the earth the value of g there is not zero. In the space station the value of g is only 11% less than its value on the surface of the earth. Thus, the height of a spacecraft is not the reason for their weightlessness.
Their weightlessness is caused by their being in the state of free fall. Though the spacecraft is not falling on the earth because of its velocity along the orbit, the only force acting on it is the gravitational force of the earth and therefore it is in a free fall state. As the velocity of free fall does not depend on the properties of an object, the velocity of free falls is the same for the spacecraft, the travellers and the objects in the craft. Thus, if a traveller releases an object from her hand, it will remain stationary with respect to her and will appear to be weightless.
Why is weightlessness caused in a spacecraft?
