That is the speed of sound at sea level at a certain temperature.   The speed of sound is different at various altitudes and temperatures.   

Being in orbit is more like falling at the same rate that gravity is pulling towards a massive object so most things are falling the same way spacecraft are falling.  The real threat is small meteors that aren't trapped in Earths orbit crossing their path which has happened but then statistically the chance that would strike a human is extremely low but they have struck spacecraft before including the ISS.  

If a person can go to an airshow and see the raw thrust that fighter jets put out or go to a rocket launch and see the power created by the rockets then drive around vehicles that can drive themselves (Tesla) and communicate with people all over the world via computers and powerful computers in our pockets then why wouldn't people believe that our mathematics and science isn't good enough to go into space or go to the Moon?   

Passenger jets fly across the oceans all the time.   Being in orbit is just a jump above that with different thrust requirements and different mechanics.   The air is just thinner at 240 miles above Earth compared to 40,000 feet above Earth.

You seem to be assuming there is atmosphere at that altitude, which would create drag, and thus make it near impossible.

But there is no atmosphere at that altitude, hence, no drag.  Hence, everything magnitudes easier to accomplish.

@flemingfarm even Neil deGrasse Tyson says that Felix baumgartner's red bull skydive from space uses a wide-angle lens to produce the curve that you see in the video. that video amounts to how easily they can fake it and how easily they can deceive you