What is a common misconception about gravity in space?

A common misconception about gravity in space is that gravity is much smaller than on Earth. While it is true that the force of gravity decreases with distance from a massive body like Earth, gravity does not completely disappear in space. In fact, gravity remains present, and it governs the movement of celestial bodies, including planets and moons, and keeps them in orbit around larger bodies.

Understanding that even in areas of space where one might feel weightless (like in a spacecraft in orbit), gravity is still at play helps clarify this misconception. For instance, the International Space Station orbits Earth at an altitude where gravity is about 90% as strong as it is on the surface, yet the astronauts inside experience a sensation of weightlessness because they are in free fall, continuously falling towards Earth while traveling forward.

This highlights that while the sensation of weight might be less in certain conditions in space, gravity itself is a powerful force that is very much active throughout the universe.