What is the typical altitude range for an orbital mission like the International Space Station (ISS)?

Answer

330 to 435 kilometers

Missions involving sustained orbital flight, exemplified by the International Space Station (ISS), operate at altitudes significantly higher than the definitions used to delineate the edge of space. The ISS typically maintains an orbit ranging between 330 and 435 kilometers above Earth. This altitude places these spacecraft far beyond both the US 80.5 km standard and the international 100 km Kármán line. The operational physics here are entirely different; these vehicles are not merely passing through a thin layer of air before falling back; they are traveling at the immense velocities required to achieve a stable orbit, where their support is governed entirely by orbital mechanics, not atmospheric interaction.

What is the typical altitude range for an orbital mission like the International Space Station (ISS)?

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