What distance above sea level is the Kármán line, the accepted boundary for conventional aerodynamic flight?
Answer
100 kilometers (km)
The Kármán line represents the threshold where the atmosphere becomes too thin to support conventional aerodynamic flight, making it the ultimate target for non-commercial entities seeking an 'amateur spaceshot.' This internationally accepted boundary is specifically defined as being 100 kilometers above sea level. Achieving this altitude signifies reaching the edge of space, regardless of whether the vehicle is a student project or an independent amateur effort. This benchmark stands in contrast to the FAA's technical regulatory upper limit for amateur rockets, which is set slightly higher at 150 kilometers, provided specific impulse criteria are met.
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