An artificial satellite orbiting the Earth is continuously falling toward the Earth due to gravitational attraction, but because it also has a tangential (sideways) velocity, it keeps missing the Earth — thus staying in orbit.

The gravitational force of the Earth acts as the centripetal force, providing the necessary acceleration that keeps the satellite moving in its circular or elliptical path around the planet.

Hence, the satellite doesn’t fall down; instead, it is in continuous free fall, balanced by its orbital motion.