How fast does the space shuttle travel while traveling in space?
The Space shuttle needs to reach a velocity of roughly 17,500 miles per hour to stay in low earth orbit. At the altitudes which the Space Shuttle flies (150-300 miles above the Earth) the drag from gravity and the small amount of atmosphere which is present even at those altitudes would eventually cause the orbit to decay to a lower altitude and re-enter the lower atmosphere. For reference, to escape earth orbit, a velocity of 24,000 miles per hour is required.
