• Question: if the mass of the ISS increses too much, will it fall out of orbit and fall towards the earth.

    Asked by callumm to Steve, Shefali, Kevin, Katie, Floris, Delma on 11 Jan 2016.
    • Photo: Steve Price

      Steve Price answered on 11 Jan 2016:


      Hi,
      Anything that flies in space needs to be adjusted to maintain its path, whether traveling to Mars or orbiting Earth. Slight variations in gravitational pull, for example, will move the ISS out of orbit. Thrusters are fired to put the ISS back into the correct orbit. If the mass of the ISS increases then more fuel will be needed to put the station back into the correct orbit.

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