Kármán line

High school (ages 12+)
Space & Astronomy

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/krmn-line

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. How high is Kármán line?100 kilometers (62 miles) above mean sea level
2. What is the primary adopting body?Fédération aéronautique internationale (FAI)
3. What is the orbital mechanics relevance?Altitude at which atmospheric drag significantly impacts satellite orbits, leading to decay
4. Why is the Kármán line set at 100 kilometers?It was chosen because it is a convenient, internationally agreed height that separates aircraft from spacecraft.
5. Who decided that 100 kilometers is the border of space?The Fédération aéronautique internationale (FAI) adopted the 100‑km height in the 1960s.

Aerodynamic Lift: The upward force generated by the movement of air over a wing or airfoil.
Atmospheric Density: A measure of how much mass is contained in a given volume of air.
Orbital Decay: The gradual decrease in the altitude of an object in orbit due to forces like atmospheric drag.
Suborbital Flight: A flight that reaches space but does not complete a full orbit around the Earth.