What is the fundamental nature of the Kármán line boundary definition?
Answer
A calculated convention established by agreement
The Kármán line is fundamentally abstract, representing a conceptual boundary rather than a physically distinct marker or an immediate environmental cutoff. The atmosphere thins out gradually, meaning there is no abrupt cessation of air molecules at 100 kilometers. Therefore, the line functions as a convention—a consistent, agreed-upon benchmark developed through scientific calculation and subsequently adopted by international bodies like the FAI. This convention serves to demarcate the regime where trajectory is primarily governed by orbital mechanics from the regime governed by atmospheric drag.
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