How high is space

What is the edge of space? I know peeps think space is 150 miles up or
200 miles up when you go up in a rocket, but what is the OFFICIAL edge
of the earth atmosphere? Does international astronomical union have
accepted definition of where the atmosphere ends and your in space.

wrote:

What is the edge of space? I know peeps think space is 150 miles up or
200 miles up when you go up in a rocket, but what is the OFFICIAL edge
of the earth atmosphere? Does international astronomical union have
accepted definition of where the atmosphere ends and your in space.


I believe NASA put the start of space at 100Km

--
Gareth Slee
http://www.meroffice.com

Gareth Slee wrote:

wrote:


What is the edge of space? I know peeps think space is 150 miles up or
200 miles up when you go up in a rocket, but what is the OFFICIAL edge
of the earth atmosphere? Does international astronomical union have
accepted definition of where the atmosphere ends and your in space.



I believe NASA put the start of space at 100Km


I'm not sure how much NASA/DoD accepts that figure (Asronaut Wings
were given to those who exceeded 50 miles, which included some X-15
pilots), but most others (including the X-Prize people) do go with
100km/62.5mi as their dividing line.


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Frank

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On Sat, 18 Nov 2006 14:56:25 +0000, Gareth Slee wrote:

wrote:

What is the edge of space? I know peeps think space is 150 miles up or
200 miles up when you go up in a rocket, but what is the OFFICIAL edge
of the earth atmosphere? Does international astronomical union have
accepted definition of where the atmosphere ends and your in space.


I believe NASA put the start of space at 100Km

But how is it defined, 100Km sound like the number is too round. Wouldn't
a better definition be one time around the Earth in orbit with some sort
of standard mass, standard drag coeficient, at some standard or
maximum atmospheric size.

--
Craig Fink
Courtesy E-Mail Welcome @

On Sat, 18 Nov 2006 16:48:50 +0000, Frank Glover wrote:

Gareth Slee wrote:

wrote:


What is the edge of space? I know peeps think space is 150 miles up or
200 miles up when you go up in a rocket, but what is the OFFICIAL edge
of the earth atmosphere? Does international astronomical union have
accepted definition of where the atmosphere ends and your in space.



I believe NASA put the start of space at 100Km


I'm not sure how much NASA/DoD accepts that figure (Asronaut Wings
were given to those who exceeded 50 miles,

Another nice round arbitrary number 50.

--
Craig Fink
Courtesy E-Mail Welcome @

(Gareth Slee) wrote in news:1hp06t1.r3u3j41y5sqzbN%
:

wrote:

What is the edge of space? I know peeps think space is 150 miles up or
200 miles up when you go up in a rocket, but what is the OFFICIAL edge
of the earth atmosphere? Does international astronomical union have
accepted definition of where the atmosphere ends and your in space.


I believe NASA put the start of space at 100Km


NASA doesn't have its own definition. The FAI sets the limit at 100 km, the
USAF at 50 statute miles.

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JRF

Reply-to address spam-proofed - to reply by E-mail,
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wrote in message
ups.com...
What is the edge of space? I know peeps think space is 150 miles up or
200 miles up when you go up in a rocket, but what is the OFFICIAL edge
of the earth atmosphere? Does international astronomical union have
accepted definition of where the atmosphere ends and your in space.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth's_atmosphere pretty much covers it.

H

wrote:
What is the edge of space? I know peeps think space is 150 miles up or
200 miles up when you go up in a rocket, but what is the OFFICIAL edge
of the earth atmosphere? Does international astronomical union have
accepted definition of where the atmosphere ends and your in space.

IAU and a clear accepted definition? This is something like never a
straight answer doing things cheaply.

HLAH wrote:
wrote in message
ups.com...
What is the edge of space? I know peeps think space is 150 miles up or
200 miles up when you go up in a rocket, but what is the OFFICIAL edge
of the earth atmosphere? Does international astronomical union have
accepted definition of where the atmosphere ends and your in space.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth's_atmosphere pretty much covers it.

I thought I heard 62 something or others on a quiz show not long ago.
The link gives some three o so definitions. Not least among them the
effective start of interference to re-entry at 75 miles.

So what is a "Karman" line: "The Karman line, at 100 km (62 mi), is
also frequently used as the boundary between atmosphere and space." or
should I look it up?

In sci.space.policy Craig Fink wrote:
On Sat, 18 Nov 2006 14:56:25 +0000, Gareth Slee wrote:

wrote:

What is the edge of space? I know peeps think space is 150 miles up or
200 miles up when you go up in a rocket, but what is the OFFICIAL edge
of the earth atmosphere? Does international astronomical union have
accepted definition of where the atmosphere ends and your in space.


I believe NASA put the start of space at 100Km

But how is it defined, 100Km sound like the number is too round. Wouldn't
a better definition be one time around the Earth in orbit with some sort
of standard mass, standard drag coeficient, at some standard or
maximum atmospheric size.

Equatorial orbit is probably an easy starting point.
Then you'd have to specify space weather, as the atmosphere moves a bit.
I suppose a spherical body, with density of 1000Kg/m^3 and a mass of

You'd then have to specify what 'once around' meant.
I suppose 'would impact on the ground at a point under the starting
point' would about cover it.

This is all horribly artificial of course, a lightweight parachute for
something like an astronaut rescue system will have much more apparent drag,
and an osmium telegraph pole much less.