Once it reaches orbit, the Space Shuttle catches up with the International Space Station (ISS). The Shuttle has to launch at the right time and in the right direction to catch the Station. When they meet, the two will connect.
Believe it or not, the ISS is not that far away. If you could drive a car straight up, you could get there in about three hours. Actually, the ISS is close enough that people on the ground can see it. On a clear night, it looks like a bright star flying across the sky. If you are lucky, you will see it when the Shuttle is catching up with it. They look like two stars following each other through space!
If these spacecraft are so close to Earth, why is life in space so different from ours? Being in orbit changes everything! The Earth still pulls down on an orbiting spacecraft, and the spacecraft is always falling towards the ground. Still, it doesn’t hit the Earth! The Space Shuttle moves so fast that it doesn’t fall down; instead, it falls around the Earth in a nearly circular orbit. The astronauts and everything inside the spacecraft are also falling, but because everything is falling together, it seems like they are just floating!
Visit the links below for more resources from NASA:
Microgravity: Always a Bad Hair Day
What's it like to live and work where food floats and you can sleep
in an upright position?
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Drop Everything
How do you test an object's behavior in microgravity when you're on
Earth? You use NASA Glenn Research Center's Drop Tower, that's how!
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Going Out for a Walk
Going on a space walk is one of the most unforgettable experiences
an astronaut can have.
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Pressure and Bendability
Observe how an external joint in a space suit arm segment increases
bendability of the segment.
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Living in Space
Simulate living in space.
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