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Random Question: What is the altitude of "enemy airspace"? Is there some cutoff or threshold recognized by the UN or some other int'l protocol? (Presumably one
by 001sky 12y ago
Random Question: What is the altitude of "enemy airspace"? Is there some cutoff or threshold recognized by the UN or some other int'l protocol? (Presumably one isn't infringing on enemy airspace in actual earth orbit.)
- throwaway_yy2Di 12y agoThis guy wrote an entire thesis about that: "There is no international agreement on the vertical limit of State sovereignty, the boundary between territorial airspace and outer space. The need for defining this boundary has been debated for over 50 years." http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA436627 http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA436627
- 001sky 12y agoThanks! As a datapoint, the order of magnitude [10km -100km] range seems like the focus of his recommendation: More and more States are developing their own domestic space launch capability. Few of these new space powers will be able to freely access space, or utilize the most efficient launch azimuths, if neighboring States can claim sovereignty up to even 62 miles (100 km). They will have even more difficulty returning objects to Earth if the boundary is set at that altitude. Even the U.S. and Russia are facing limitations on their ability to freely access space. Setting a low vertical limit on State sovereignty will ensure all States have equal access to space. (p81).