Earth's gravitational field does not affect astronauts

ISS space station astronauts feel weightless, because they are constantly falling down.

It looks as if they are “flying”, but the inhabitants of the International Space Station (ISS) experience 90 % of the gravity that makes other people stand firmly on the ground – i.e. they are falling towards Earth. However, they never reach Earth, because they (and the space station) are moving forwards at a speed of 28,000 km/h, as they fall. So, they and anything else in an orbit will keep on falling past Earth.

ASTRONAUTS FLY FASTER THAN THEY CAN FALL

Earth's gravitational field is constantly 1 attracting the space station and anything else.

The space station and its contents are also 2 moving forwards at a high speed.

The combined effect of the two forces is a 3 circular fall, wich will never strike Earth.