Is it true that the orbital speed of the Shuttle is several thousand kilometers an hour?
ANSWER from Scott Colloredo on September 15, 1997: To maintain its orbit at 115 to 250 miles above the earth, the Space Shuttle orbiter must travel at great speeds. The orbiter’s velocity in space is approximately 17,322 statute miles per hour (or 27,880 kilometers per hour). For landing, the shuttles speed decreases to approximately 205 mph (or 330 kilometers per hour) during reentry. Return to top.
