[1] On Earth, the limit is around 18–19 km (11–12 mi; 59,000–62,000 ft) above sea level,[1][2] above which atmospheric air pressure drops below 0.0618 atm (6.3 kPa, 47 mmHg, or about 1 psi).
A test subject at the NASA Johnson Space Center accidentally exposed to near vacuum in 1965 "reported that ... his last conscious memory was of the saliva on his tongue beginning to boil.
[9] The Armstrong limit describes the altitude associated with an objective, precisely defined natural phenomenon: the vapor pressure of body-temperature water.
In 1936, Francis Swain of the Royal Air Force reached 15,230 m (49,970 ft) flying a Bristol Type 138 while wearing a pressure suit.
If the user does not wear a pressure suit or a counter-pressure garment that restricts the movement of their chest, the high-pressure air can cause damage to the lungs.
For modern military aircraft such as the United States' F‑22 and F‑35, both of which have operational altitudes of 18,000 m (59,000 ft) or more, the pilot wears a "counter-pressure garment", which is a g‑suit with high-altitude capabilities.