Defining the Karman Line
The Kármán line, at an altitude of 100 kilometers above Earth's sea level, conventionally marks the boundary between Earth's atmosphere and outer space.
Theodore von Kármán's Legacy
The line is named after Theodore von Kármán, a Hungarian-American engineer and physicist who worked to understand the physics of the atmosphere's upper limits.
Variability of Atmospheric Boundary
The Kármán line's placement is arbitrary. There's no clear physical boundary, as Earth's atmosphere gradually thins with altitude without a definitive end.
Space Law Implications
The Kármán line has legal and political implications. It plays a role in determining the boundary of a country's airspace and where space law takes precedence.
Challenging the 100km Standard
Some scientists argue for a lower boundary at 80 kilometers, where satellites can't stay in orbit for long due to atmospheric drag, challenging the 100km standard.
FAI vs. NASA's Definition
The Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) uses the 100km line, while NASA and the U.S. Air Force award astronaut wings to those who cross 80 kilometers.
Record-Breaking Space Jumps
Felix Baumgartner and Alan Eustace performed record-breaking high-altitude jumps, from the stratosphere but below the Kármán line, blurring the line between skydiving and spaceflight.
What height defines the Karman Line?
100 kilometers above sea level
80 kilometers above sea level
50 kilometers above sea level
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