When an object is in orbit, it is already in free-fall, but the centripetal force going up is equaled by the force of gravity going down. If you chuck something down, it will continue that way until it hits the ground.

In reply to this comment by GabaJ:
>> ^bamdrew:
some day I'd like to be hurtling through the vacuum of space and just full-on chuck something down at Earth.


I have a question for the physicists - what would happen to an object thrown perpendicular to your orbit down toward earth? Disregard atmospheric drag. After one orbit, would that object come back up towards you as fast as you chucked it?