Sub-orbital spaceflight

Quick Facts: Who was Sub-orbital spaceflight?

Subject:

Sub-orbital spaceflight

Known for:

Spaceflight reaching outer space but falling back to Earth without completing an orbit.

Verified Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

A sub-orbital spaceflight1@@ is a spaceflight in which the vehicle reaches outer space, but its trajectory intersects the surface of the gravitating body from which it was launched. Hence, it will not complete one orbital revolution, will not become an artificial satellite nor will it reach escape velocity. For example, the path of an object launched from Earth that reaches the Kármán line (about 83 km [52 mi] – 100 km [62 mi] above sea level), and then falls back to Earth, is considered a sub-orbital spaceflight.

Career & Major Achievements

Some sub-orbital flights have been undertaken to test spacecraft and launch vehicles later intended for orbital spaceflight. Other vehicles are specifically designed only for sub-orbital flight; examples include crewed vehicles, such as the X-15 and SpaceShipTwo, and uncrewed ones, such as ICBMs and sounding rockets.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Flights which attain sufficient velocity to go into low Earth orbit, and then de-orbit before completing their first full orbit, are not considered sub-orbital. Examples of this include flights of the Fractional Orbital Bombardment System.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Sub-orbital spaceflight

True or False: “A flight that reaches the Kármán line and falls back to Earth is always classified as a sub-orbital spaceflight.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): While reaching the Kármán line is characteristic, the official classification depends on whether the vehicle completes a full orbital revolution or achieves escape velocity, which is not guaranteed by simply falling back.

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Frequently Asked Questions about Sub-orbital spaceflight