How far up does space begin?

Answer 1

The altitude varies according to the type of satellite.

* Low Earth Orbit satellites are up to 1240 miles or 2000km high.

* Medium Earth Orbit satellites fit between the Low and High Earth Orbit satellite altitudes.

* High Earth Orbit satellites above 22240 miles or 35786 km.

Answer 2

The answer is not a simple one, because it depends on the criteria used.

As you move upward from the surface, gravity and the density of air gradually decrease until you reach a near-vacuum. Listed below are some valid interpretations of the boundary between Earth and space.

---

For starters, astronauts can say they've been to space after passing only the 50-mile mark (80 kilometers, 264,000 feet). NASA awards its astronaut wings to any individual reaching that altitude.

Meanwhile the boundary recognized by many in the space industry is the Karman line at a somewhat arbitrary 62.137 miles (100 kilometers). Scientist Theodore von Kármán long ago calculated that at this altitude the atmosphere is so thin that it's negligible, and conventional aircraft can no longer function because they can't go fast enough to get any kind of aerodynamic lift. This 62-mile (100 km) boundary is accepted by the Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FAI), which sets aeronautical standards.

Recently, with data from a new instrument developed by scientists at the University of Calgary, scientists defined that space begins 73 miles (118 kilometers) above Earth's surface. NASA's mission control uses 76 miles (122 kilometers) as their re-entry altitude because below that the shuttle switches from steering with thrusters to maneuvering with aerodynamic surfaces. Others point out that the "Now Entering Space" sign should be posted way out at 13 million miles (21 million kilometers) because that's the boundary where Earth's gravity is no longer dominant.

Meteorologists will tell you the atmosphere ends 600 miles (1000 kilometers) up, but even at half that distance air molecules are few and far between. Meteors start to burn about 40 miles (65 kilometers) up due to atmospheric friction. The drop in atmospheric density is obvious even lower. Most humans need supplemental oxygen above a mere 10,000 feet (3 kilometers) and the highest habitations have been near 16,000 feet (5 kilometers).

Answer 3

You wanna know how high up is space?

A typical airplane cruises at 6 miles up, around 30,000 feet. Military jets can hit over 19 miles up, over 100,000 feet. Can people parachute higher than that? Yes, in 1960 Joseph kittinger set the record at 19.5 miles, or 102,800 feet. Felix baumgartner was trying in 2010 to fall over 22 miles high.

But those aren't considered space. This is considered space:

Space begins at 50 miles or 264,000 feet. Other people think that the start of space is 62 miles, or 380,000 feet. Low earth orbit is where many satellites live, goes from 100 miles to 1240 miles. One satellite named project calliope is 143 miles up. The international space station is 173 miles to 286 miles. But, when earth starts to fade away is 62 miles to 6,200 miles up. And the highest satellites, at the high earth orbit, is over 22,236 miles up.

But where the earth's atmosphere really ends is 600 miles to 13 million miles up.

Answer 4

Space never ends.

Im no genious im just as curious as anyone on this topic,ITS a very sensitive question but from my little experince in living ive noticed that the biggest and most difficult questions are usually right under are nose.To attemt to answer this question we have to first realize that we live on the earth governed by rules or laws and to imagine that these arent the only laws outthere or even worse there is no laws or limitations is very frightining. So first we must ask are selfs what is real?Nothing is real and everything is real............??Sounds confusing and contradictary to the laws of nature right,But what if the laws of nature arent the only laws?Now ive got your attention.What i mean by saying that everything is real and nothing is real is this.........Consider perspective,our human perpective limits us from seeing the whole picture. example..........if i were born in a forest and raised by wild animals how would i know i was a human being from my perspective i was an animal like the rest of the animals in the Forrest but say some campers came and found me as a boy, from there perspective I was just a regular human boy.my point is to diffrent perspectives on the same subject leaving too very diffrent truths. truth only comes from are prospective the way we see things the angle we see them from or the {point of view}.Are truths come from what we think we see nothing is solid fact another example is if one person was born with blue tented shades on and another with red they view diffrent things based on how they see to be true.

Answer 5

There's no truly "right" answer to this question. Most countries consider it to be about 100 km for the purposes of treaties, but there's nothing "special" about that altitude, it's just a conveniently round number.

Answer 6

no one knows how far space goes. some people say it goes an forever

Answer 7

Space never stops it keeps going on space is expanding!

Answer 8

It's totally arbitrary, but 300 miles is a common answer.

Answer 9

Space goes on forever.

Answer 10

SPACE IS ENDLESS!!!