Everything Everywhere Daily · Monday, June 29, 2026
The term 'zero gravity' is a misnomer, as gravity is still about 90% as strong in Earth orbit. Astronauts experience microgravity, not a complete absence of gravity, because they are in a continuous state of freefall around the Earth. This distinction is crucial for understanding the physiological effects on the human body.
“while the term zero gravity is the common term used for the condition that astronauts experience in orbit, it is technically incorrect. A better term might be microgravity or weightlessness.”
“Gravity is not absent in orbit. In fact, astronauts aboard the International Space Station are still strongly affected by the Earth's gravitational field.”
“What's really happening is that the spacecraft and everything inside are all falling around the Earth together. An orbit is basically a continuous fall.”