At approximately what altitude does the International Space Station (ISS) orbit?
Answer
400 kilometers
The International Space Station (ISS) maintains an operational altitude near 400 kilometers above the Earth's surface. Although this distance seems substantial, it is low enough to still experience minor environmental interactions. Specifically, this altitude is subject to the faint but persistent drag exerted by the remnants of Earth's atmosphere. This atmospheric drag serves as the natural process responsible for gradually removing smaller pieces of debris over time through orbital decay.
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