Quote from: Svetoslav on 12/13/2018 06:23 amIt's a real space mission, as recent research papers confirm that space begins at 80km. It's high time to consider the 100km boundary as arbitrary and pseudoscientific.Since it is a gradual transition, setting it exactly at 80km is just as arbitrary and pseudoscientific. If a real measurement is used, are we to believe it fell exactly at 80km instead of 79.4km?
It's a real space mission, as recent research papers confirm that space begins at 80km. It's high time to consider the 100km boundary as arbitrary and pseudoscientific.
Quote from: Lars-J on 12/13/2018 04:50 pmQuote from: Svetoslav on 12/13/2018 06:23 amIt's a real space mission, as recent research papers confirm that space begins at 80km. It's high time to consider the 100km boundary as arbitrary and pseudoscientific.Since it is a gradual transition, setting it exactly at 80km is just as arbitrary and pseudoscientific. If a real measurement is used, are we to believe it fell exactly at 80km instead of 79.4km? There's a nice paper by this very forum's Jonathan McDowell on the scientific reasons behind the proposed 80 km boundary. Of course there isn't a wall at 80-and-not-a-single-meter-less km so there's always gonna be some sigma in the definition.
Yes I am aware of this paper, but that does not reduce the arbitrariness of setting it exactly at 80km.
I know that this is taking the conversation even more off-topic, but if 80 km were to be accepted as the new definition of "space", I wonder whether any non-Americans would then become an "astronaut". And how many Americans would be added to the "astronaut list".
Maybe Nick Hague could be called "90.3% astronaut", and Felix Baumgartner a "38% astronaut"? ;-)<duck&run>
80 km is the American standard. No Americans would be added, they are already considered astronauts in the US.
50 miles or 80 km is close enough for two significant digits. We're not talking about atmospheric science, just when the bureaucrats feel comfortable handing out astronaut wings.
Quote from: RonM on 12/14/2018 04:41 am50 miles or 80 km is close enough for two significant digits. We're not talking about atmospheric science, just when the bureaucrats feel comfortable handing out astronaut wings.What if they fly 80.2 km? That is below 50 statute miles and therefore does not qualify for astronaut wings in the US.