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[–] OrsonKaarte 0 points 1 point 1 point (+1|-0) ago
Thanks to both for in interesting conversation. Deep and meaningful stuff. I feel a bit thick telling you what I was pondering before I fell asleep but here goes...
Earlier in the evening, in a clear dark sky, the ISS passed directly overhead - visible for about four minutes, it always impresses me. I was still thinking about it when I went to bed when the thought popped up. Does it matter that the ISS orbits in the same direction as the Earth rotates?
I have a couple of theories but would like to hear from others before I share them.
[–] Carsandsarcasm [S] ago
I have never gotten around to watching the ISS fly over. It's such a simple thing I never bother to do. Speaking of satellites, this picture always blows my mind. I'm sure they are quite far apart in reality, but there is a lot of crap up there.
I believe the direction does matter, though I'm talking out of my butt a little bit on this one. I know that the fact that the Earth and the moon are tidally locked is because there is a force exerted between them that, once they do tidally lock, drags them back to being locked whenever they try to split. I would guess that this force applies to the ISS and putting it in rotation with the earth reduces the "drag."
I also imagine it's more convenient for the astronauts to not be radically shifting time zones in the opposite direction. The ISS would probably be in a geosynchronous orbit to keep them on a regular schedule with the people on the ground if it wasn't that they like it moving around so they can see different areas. That would be my guess.