Kármán line facts for kids
The Kármán line is an imaginary boundary in the sky. It marks where Earth's atmosphere officially ends and outer space begins. This line is 100 kilometers (about 62 miles) above our planet's surface. It helps scientists and space agencies agree on where space starts.
This important boundary is accepted by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI). The FAI is a group that sets international rules and keeps records for flying and space travel.
Who Was Theodore von Kármán?
The Kármán line is named after a brilliant scientist. His name was Theodore von Kármán (1881–1963). He was a Hungarian-American engineer and physicist. He worked a lot with airplanes and rockets.
Theodore von Kármán was the first to figure out something important. He calculated that around this height, the air becomes too thin for regular airplanes to fly. An aircraft at this altitude would have to go extremely fast. It would need to reach speeds similar to those needed to stay in orbit around Earth. This is because there isn't enough air to create the "lift" needed to keep the plane up.
Why Is the Kármán Line Important?
The Kármán line is a key point for space travel. It helps define when a vehicle has truly left Earth's atmosphere. This is important for setting records and for international agreements about space.
Just below the Kármán line, there's a quick change. The air temperature goes up a lot. Also, the amount of solar radiation (energy from the Sun) increases. This line is actually located within a larger part of our atmosphere called the thermosphere.
Images for kids
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Earth's atmosphere looks blue from space because it scatters sunlight. As you go higher, the air gets thinner and thinner, until it fades into the blackness of space. The Moon can be seen behind this blue glow.
See also
In Spanish: Línea de Kármán para niños
