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Most of the time, the International Space Station (ISS) is orbiting the Earth at an altitude of approximately 220 miles (354 km), which places it in low Earth orbit (LEO). This distance can change, however, and has varied from 205 miles (330 km) to a planned maximum of 248 miles (400 km).
The International Space Station is in a low Earth orbit between 199 mi and 216 mi. To maintain this orbit, the space station has to travel at a speed of about 17,500 miles per â¦ hour.If a spacecraft was launched sideways off the Earth with a low velocity, gravity would pull it towards the ground.he spacecraft would be in orbit. The speed required for the International Space Station to orbit is 17,500 miles per hour. The higher an object's orbit is, the slower it has to travel to maintain that orbit. + 45 others found this useful.