<p>Yes. Free fall means the only force acting on a body is gravity. </p>

<p>The only force acting on the Earth and every other body in orbit is gravity, so all the planets are in free fall.</p>

<p>(There are very small forces from, for example, solar wind but these are minute in comparison to the gravitational forces)</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-05-07T06:03:43.977Z
2018-05-07T06:17:08.873Z
2018-05-07T06:17:08.873Z
James K
<p>If I’m correct, the International Space Station is in free fall, but is moving fast enough to keep it’s position. Assuming that is true, does that mean that some/all planets orbiting the Sun are in free fall of the Sun?</p>

<orbit><gravity><solar-system>
Are the planets in our solar system in free fall?
Nate Thompson
# Are the planets in our solar system in free fall?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-05-07)

If I’m correct, the International Space Station is in free fall, but is moving fast enough to keep it’s position. Assuming that is true, does that mean that some/all planets orbiting the Sun are in free fall of the Sun?

**Tags:** orbit, gravity, solar-system

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2018-05-07. Score: 8 | Accepted answer

Yes. Free fall means the only force acting on a body is gravity.

The only force acting on the Earth and every other body in orbit is gravity, so all the planets are in free fall.

(There are very small forces from, for example, solar wind but these are minute in comparison to the gravitational forces)


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