Free Fall & Rocket Launch

What's a better word than "zero gravity" to describe astronauts' experience?

Free fall

If orbit is about moving sideways, why do rockets launch straight up first?

To get away from the ground (avoid buildings, mountains, etc.)

What happens after a rocket launches straight up for about 1-2 minutes?

The rocket tips over and starts speeding up sideways instead of upward.

When does a rocket actually enter orbit?

Once it's going fast enough sideways, the engine shuts off—and now it's falling around Earth, meaning it's in orbit.

Is a spacecraft with its engine running considered "in orbit"?

No. If a spacecraft's engine is running, it's not in orbit—it's not just falling freely anymore.

Are "space" and "orbit" the same thing?

No. Space just means you're outside the atmosphere. Orbit means you're falling around something (like Earth). You can be in space without orbiting anything.

What's the one-sentence summary of an orbit?

An orbit happens when something is falling toward a planet but moving sideways fast enough to keep missing it—forever.