How Does Orbit Work?

Added: 2026-05-25

[00:00:00]If we add a little more speed, the path of the rocket becomes longer and it goes farther before it returns to earth.

[00:00:11]Here.

[00:00:13]So, if we have our rocket go fast enough, it will eventually follow a curve which matches the curvature of the earth and will not fall back.

[00:00:25]We might say that the rocket falls around the earth as long as it maintains a certain speed.

[00:00:35]But how does it maintain this speed with the motor shut off? Remember, our rocket is traveling above the atmosphere, in space, where there is no air friction to slow it down.