DUBAI (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 28th October, 2021) Changing the boundary between the Earth's atmosphere and outer space requires the collective approach of experts from different countries before such decision could be made at the governmental level, Christian Feichtinger, the executive director of the International Astronautical Federation (IAF), told Sputnik.
In July, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and British billionaire Richard Branson traveled to space, igniting a debate on whether such flights can be referred to as space trips over different approaches to defining the space border line.
"The International Astronautical Federation is a platform for discussing such questions but it does not have the authority to influence the decisions in any way. We provide representatives of all countries with an opportunity to find consensus within technical committees. There is now an accepted borderline between the Earth atmosphere and space the Karman line. To change it, experts must agree and make a recommendation to countries to make a decision," Feichtinger said on the sidelines of the International Astronautical Congress in Dubai.
The passing of the Karman line is what makes space tourist a "cosmonaut," the official said, when asked if the Russian movie crew who traveled to the International Space Station (ISS) earlier this month could be considered cosmonauts.
"We have a very clear understanding of what a cosmonaut is. A person who crosses the space boundary, which is defined by the Karman line, is a cosmonaut," the IAF head said.
Currently, the International Astronautical Federation defines the border between the Earth atmosphere and space as the line at the height of 100 kilometers (62 miles) above the sea level. The decision about lowering the boundary can be beneficial for companies organizing space travels.
Russian actress Yulia Peresild and movie director Klim Shipenko spent 12 days at the ISS starting October 5 to shoot the first-ever movie made in space called "The Challenge."
