tropo

sphe

re

earth

strat

osph

ere

mes

osph

ere

ther

mos

pher

e

international space station

exos

pher

e

0 k

300 k = 80.6 f

600 k

900 k

1200 k

1500 k

690

km

350

km

85 k

m

geostationary orbit

space debris

36,000 km

global navigation satelites2,000-36,000 km

observation satelites

along north and south poles

most satelites200-2,000 km

international space stationaverage 350 km

equator

safe zone

outer belt

inner belt

bow shock

polar cusp

3 - 10 earth radii from surfaceelectron belt most intense at 4 -5 earth radii

100 - 10,000 km from surfaceproton belt most intense at 4 -5 earth radii

magnetoshpere meets the ionoshpere

solar wind