We have to keep in mind that, even at that altitude, there are still air molecules. They're extremely sparse, but just enough that the drag they induce on the ISS and its large surface area of solar panels make periodic boosting necessary.
We have to keep in mind that, even at that altitude, there are still air molecules. They're extremely sparse, but just enough that the drag they induce on the ISS and its large surface area of solar panels make periodic boosting necessary.
.--~~~--. ^
/ <- \ |
| Earth | O Moon
\ -> /
'--___--'
Note, the bulge of the earth is slightly exaggerated in this diagram, and the moon is further away on this scale.In effect, the rotation of the earth is dragging the moon around faster (which causes it to move further from the earth and go slower).
> Results of the scope of scientific experiments which had been conducted for a quite long time were summed up in the previous year, confirming that some organisms can live on the surface of the International Space Station (ISS) for years amid factors of a space flight, such as zero gravity, temperature conditions and hard cosmic radiation. Several surveys proved that these organisms can even develop.
If life is ever found on Mars, the next question to be asked after identification is, "is it related to Earth life?" Which we'd check by checking certain of the parameters of life on Earth that do not seem to be "forced" by physics, but are universal on Earth (how DNA codes for proteins, for instance). If they all matched up, it would strongly suggest one single common origin... though that origin could conceivably be on Mars.
Interestingly, this also means that if the Solar System is still otherwise sterile despite the arrival of Earth life, that has interesting implications of its own.
LEO is not a place.