If the Planets, Solar System, and Galaxy are all moving, then how come the spaceships/probes that are sent out to space don't have to keep up the movement? (Or do they keep up?)

Is it because all together the speed isn't that great?

If the Planets, Solar System, and Galaxy are all moving, then how come the spaceships/probes that are sent out to space don't have to keep up the movement? (Or do they keep up?)

If I'm not mistaken,
An object sent into space will maintain its velocity, only being affected by gravity. So as a probe passes a planet its course is always changed by the planets gravity. This is, I believe, how the apollo mission shuttles turned back towards Earth, using the moon's gravity.

Satellites launched into orbit around earth will maintain their path, slowly being pulled closer and closer to the earth and eventually into Earth's atmosphere (where many would burn up).

It's all relative...

Originally posted by MindWarrior
This is, I believe, how the apollo mission shuttles turned back towards Earth, using the moon's gravity.

Actually command module was orbiting moon when landing module was in moon.


If you're in moving car and throw ball directly to right or left does it move "straight" when looked outside moving car?
No because movement of car gives it another velocity vector which is perpendicular to vector caused by you throwing it out of car.

Same way Earth give probes certain speed around sun.


And about our movement in space, every human moves with Earth's rotation (I think it is about 400 m/s in equator), then around sun, sun orbits Milky Way's core, our galaxy moves in space... so you're taking part to many movement even when sleeping.