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VIKING SQUADRON |
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Spacecraft |
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As Gene Roddenberry once wrote, space is the final frontier. Though we are a long way from building our first starship, we get closer every day. There are many reasons why we seek to explore and exploit space. From space we get a global view of the Earth and we can see the universe more clearly. Space also holds the promise of abundant resources such as solar energy and minerals from other planets. Finally, space provides a unique environment which is useful in making new materials.
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What is space? Defining the point at which space begins depends on your perspective. The Air Force and NASA define space for administrative purposes as beginning at an altitude of 50 miles. Anyone who reaches this height is awarded astronaut wings. If we’re interested in operating in space, we need the point at which an orbiting object will stay in orbit. This altitude is 80 miles. So for space operations, space begins 80 miles above the Earth and extends out infinitely. It is further describer by defining cislunar space, interplanetary and interstellar space. |