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What is the Karman Line?

 , updated on September 04, 2023
The Karman line is the boundary between the Earth's atmosphere and outer space at an altitude of 100 kilometers, or 62 miles, above sea level.
The definition is based on a calculation by physicist Theodore von Karman that shows that around this point the atmosphere becomes too thin to support flight. More precisely, at this altitude an aircraft would have to go faster than the speed required to achieve orbit in order to create enough lift to fly.
The Karman line has a number of potential legal implications because country's control their airspace but outer space is "is not subject to national appropriation by claim of sovereignty, by means of use or occupation, or by any other means" according to the Outer Space Treaty of 1967.
Overview: Karman Line
Type
Space
Space Law
Definition
The boundary between the Earth's atmosphere and outer space at 100 km, or 62 miles, above sea level.
Accepted by
Fédération Aéronautique Internationale, an international aeronautics and astronautics standards body.
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