Question

Why do the passengers in high-altitude jet planes feel the sensation of weight while passengers in an orbiting space vehicle, such as a space shuttle, do not?

Answer 1

Passengers in an aircraft are subject to the Normal and Gravity Force acting on them at a low 'orbit', so tiny that it can be many times compared to the same surface of the earth when speaking in general terms.

In a high orbit space vehicle or in the same space, said force decreases considerably or simply disappears, generating the sensation of weightlessness.

Remember that the Force of Gravity is given under the principle

`F_g = (GMm)/(r^2)`

Where,

G = Gravitational Universal constant

M = Mass of the planet

m = mass of the object

r = Distance from center of the planet

When the radius grows considerably the gravitational force begins to decrease.