The article discusses the unconventional notion that astronauts have never truly left Earth’s atmosphere, suggesting that the boundaries of the atmosphere are not as clear-cut as commonly thought. While the International Space Station (ISS) operates at heights that many consider to be “space,” it still experiences significant atmospheric drag. The defining boundary of the atmosphere, known as the Kármán line, is typically accepted at 100 kilometers (62 miles) above sea level; however, recent studies indicate that the Earth’s atmospheric influence extends far beyond this limit, potentially reaching up to 391,000 miles (629,300 kilometers) into space. Notably, even astronauts on the Moon are still within Earth’s atmospheric reach, albeit at extremely low densities. The article emphasizes the complexity of defining where Earth’s atmosphere ends and true space begins, highlighting ongoing research that reveals the intertwined nature of the atmospheres surrounding Earth, the Moon, and even the Sun. Ultimately, the question of where space starts is subjective and influenced by the perspective from which it is considered.
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