NASA: National Aeronautics and Space Administration

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  1. Question

    Hello - with the addition of massive components to the ISS, is there any effect on it's orbital speed or altitude?

    No. The orbit of a satellite does not depend on its mass, just as dropped cannon balls fall at the same speed whatever their mass (something discovered by Galileo).
    David Morrison
    NAI Senior Scientist

    June 26, 2008