So... just to clarify

We're still entertaining this astronomy theology lesson based upon the Book of Genesis?

Genesis 1:6 - 1:8

And God said, "Let there be a dome in the midst of the waters; and let it separate the waters from the waters. So God made the dome and separated the waters that were under the dome from the waters that were above the dome. And it was so. God called the dome Sky.

So the Sky is a barrier which separates the waters of the earth from the waters of outer space. And all the spaceships, and space stations, and space whales... are swimming through those space waters.

If it slows down ships and let's space squid-whales swim then it should slow down planets as well. There should not be any old worlds. They should crash into their stars after a billion years or so.

What if the gasses were orbiting the star at the same speed as the planets?

Hmm, good question.

It's not a fluid or gas as we understand matter, rather like a type of energy field that that produces a gradient and causes phenomena analogous to inertia and friction. Maybe a similar concept to the Ether or Phlogiston from pre-general reltivity sci fi.

Well, that would most likely still slow down planet orbits.

I rather like the idea of the force keeping those planet orbits stable.

So... just to clarify

We're still entertaining this astronomy theology lesson based upon the Book of Genesis?

Genesis 1:6 - 1:8

And God said, "Let there be a dome in the midst of the waters; and let it separate the waters from the waters. So God made the dome and separated the waters that were under the dome from the waters that were above the dome. And it was so. God called the dome Sky.

So the Sky is a barrier which separates the waters of the earth from the waters of outer space. And all the spaceships, and space stations, and space whales... are swimming through those space waters.

I'm an atheist, so I wouldn't know.