“17,000 is a little slow for it to be in orbit.”
Depends on how high it is . . .
/johnny
This is true!
sqrt( g R ) represents the speed of an orbit at distance R, or about 7901 m/sec = 17674 mph and the speed of higher orbits are lower by the second factor.
Then we require r/R =( 17674/17000 )2 ~= 1.08, giving an altitude of 0.08 R or about 317 miles .