Final answer:
Astronauts feel weightless in orbit because they are in a state of continuous free fall around the Earth, not because there is no gravity.
Step-by-step explanation:
Astronauts feel weightless in an orbiting spacecraft because, although gravity is still acting on them, they are in a state of continuous free fall around the Earth. This experience is similar to what happens if an elevator's cable breaks or a plane loses engine power and begins to fall; the passengers inside would experience weightlessness as they are in free fall, accelerating at the same rate due to gravity. Astronauts going through this in the spacecraft, however, are falling around the Earth, thereby maintaining their orbit, and this is why they continue to feel weightless for the duration of their journey in space.