Report Abuse. The ISS orbits the Earth at an altitude of about 350 km, and completes one orbit in 91.34 minutes. It travels at an average speed of 27,743 km/hr (about 17,239 mph). poldi · 7 years ago. Thumbs up.
https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20081221190700AAFte7m
The International Space Station travels in orbit around Earth at a speed of roughly 17,150 miles per hour (that's about 5 miles per second!). This means that the Space Station orbits Earth (and sees a sunrise) once every 92 minutes! You can see the ISS' location and speed at this link which also has a real-time video feed from cameras attached to the outside of the station. 1  Javascript must be enabled to use Cool Cosmos. 2  Learn how.
http://coolcosmos.ipac.caltech.edu/ask/282-How-fast-does-the-Space-Station-travel-
So in the same 6 minutes it would take to free fall 640 km (400 miles), the ISS moves 8000 km (5000 miles) horizontally. Those two motions occur simultaneously, and the result is a smooth circular orbit. At higher altitudes gravity is weaker, and less horizontal speed is required to maintain orbit.
http://heimhenge.com/skylights/2013/05/06/qa-how-the-space-station-stays-in-orbit/
Share to: The International Space Station is maintained in a near circular orbit with a minimum mean altitude of 278 km (173 mi) and a maximum of 460 km (286 mi). Atmospheric drag gradu … ally slows the station down and it moves closer to earth.
http://www.answers.com/Q/How_long_does_it_take_for_the_International_Space_Station_to_orbit_Earth
By the way, your description of the ISS as “floating” is not quite accurate. It has a current total mass of over 400,000 kg, and is pulled downward by gravity with a force of 4 million newtons (about 1 million pounds). Gravity extends to that altitude (and beyond), and is only a few percent less than at ground level.
http://heimhenge.com/skylights/2013/05/06/qa-how-the-space-station-stays-in-orbit/
On September 20, 2010, NASA reported that the ISS orbital numbers were: Perigee 351 km (189 nmi) AMSL Apogee 360 km (194 nmi) AMSL Orbital inclination 51.64 degrees Average speed 7,706.6 m/s (27,743.8 km/h, 17,239.2 mph) Orbital period 91 minutes Perigee is the orbit's lowest point and apogee is its highest point.
http://www.answers.com/Q/How_long_does_it_take_for_the_International_Space_Station_to_orbit_Earth
Orbital period The International Space Station completes 15.79 orbits per day, or about one orbit every 90 minutes.
http://www.answers.com/Q/How_long_does_it_take_for_the_International_Space_Station_to_orbit_Earth
One might say the ISS is falling around the Earth, and gravity is what holds it in a circular orbit. That’s a tough concept wrap your head around … how something can be falling toward the Earth and never hit it. So I did an animation of a Space Shuttle orbit that might help you see how this can be.
http://heimhenge.com/skylights/2013/05/06/qa-how-the-space-station-stays-in-orbit/
Left unchecked, that loss of speed would eventually cause the ISS to fall back to Earth in a meteoric reentry and break up. That’s exactly what happened with Sky Lab back in July 1979. So every once in awhile they need to boost its orbit back to where it should be.
http://heimhenge.com/skylights/2013/05/06/qa-how-the-space-station-stays-in-orbit/
Best Answer: According to http://www.heavens-above.com/orbit.aspx?... it orbits the Earth 15.7166 times per day, which works out at an orbital period of 91.6 minutes. At an average height of 354 km, one orbit is 42,298 km and therefore the speed is 27,700 km/hr or 17,212 mph.
https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20081221190700AAFte7m
how long is one orbit of iss
One orbit of the International Space Station is 90 minutes long. One orbit of the International Space Station is 90 minutes.