Why don't all the planets and satellites fall towards the sun?

They are falling toward the Sun..However, at the same time they are moving tangentially to the Sun at an average velocity which causes them to always miss the Sun by a distance dependent upon that velocity as they all travel through space and time. . read more

Because the rotation of the Earth around the Sun is fast enough so that both Centrifugal Force and Gravitational Force ( centripetal force) are equal. read more

Rayman: A planet orbits the Sun just as the moon or a satellite orbits Earth. Isaac Newton, one of the most brilliant scientists of all time, provided the first good explanation of orbits. Newton realized that the reason the planets orbit the Sun is related to why objects fall to Earth when we drop them. read more

Rayman: Well, in addition to falling toward the Sun, the planets are moving sideways, around the Sun. This is the same as if you have a weight on the end of a string and swing it around. You are constantly pulling it toward you, but the motion sideways keeps it swinging around. read more

The planets do not fall into the sun because they are moving too fast in the tangential direction. As they fall toward the sun they travel tangentially just enough that they never get very close to the sun. read more