Why a Bullet Fired at Earth Never Hits the Ground

Many people think a bullet fired from space toward Earth would hit the ground, but it wouldn’t. If fired from low earth orbit, the bullet would likely stay in orbit and keep circling earth, just like satellites. But if fired at Earth with precise aim and enough speed, earth’s atmosphere presents a different challenge. The bullet would burn up before reaching the surface, much like a small meteoroid. Interestingly, scientists use this same idea to get rid of old satellites. They slow them down so they fall out of orbit and burn up in the atmosphere due to air resistance.