Final answer:
Zero force is required to maintain a body at constant speed in outer space, according to Newton's First Law of Motion, assuming there are no significant gravitational influences from nearby celestial bodies.
Step-by-step explanation:
The force required to maintain a body at a constant speed in outer space is essentially zero. This is because once an object is moving in the vacuum of space, there is no air resistance or other form of friction to slow it down, meaning no force is needed to maintain its speed due to Newton's First Law of Motion, which states that an object in motion stays in motion with the same speed and direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force.
While gravity is a force that acts at all distances, in outer space, far away from large masses such as planets or stars, gravitational forces are very weak, and an object can travel at a constant speed without the need for a continuous application of force. This concept is contingent on ignoring other gravitational influences, assuming no interaction with other celestial bodies, and is based on Newton's laws of motion and the idea of an inertial reference frame.
If you introduce other factors, such as nearby planets or stars, the calculations become more complex due to the gravitational pull needing to be considered, represented by the gravitational constant (G). However, in the context of your question, if we assume a region of space with negligible gravitational influences, no force is required to maintain a constant speed.