[AR] Re: Just where does space start?
- From: Chris Jones <clj@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: arocket@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sun, 31 Aug 2014 16:06:45 -0400
On 8/31/2014 3:51 PM, Monroe L. King Jr. wrote:
The FAI is also the governing body I'd submit an altitude or speed
record attempt too if I wanted an official record.
As others have said, this (the 100 km altitude) seems to have a lot of
backing among the space community. For myself, I'm more interested in
the altitude Monroe mentioned earlier (minimum altitude for a viable
orbit, though I'm not really sure where that is, since I'm sure it
varies; 100 statute miles is a nice round number, though I know
satellites do dip into lower orbits, at least at perigee).
Really space is a concept rather than a physical boundary, and it's the
effects (e.g. loss of aerodynamic control, need for pressure suit, "low
enough" atmospheric density) one has to worry about. Any of the
definitions being bandied around can (arguably) be used. I personally
do not like hearing reports that a balloon has flown to (near-)space but
that's personal feelings.
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