Space science

A laser-guided observation of the Milky Way Galaxy at the Paranal Observatory in Chile in 2010.

The term space science may mean:

• The study of issues specifically related to space travel and space exploration, including space medicine.
• Science performed in outer space (see space research).
• The study of everything in outer space; this is sometimes called astronomy, but more recently astronomy can also be regarded as a division of broader space science, which has grown to include other related fields.

This article describes the third meaning, space science describing all of the various science fields that are concerned with the study of the Universe, generally also meaning "excluding the Earth" and "outside of the Earth's atmosphere".

Divisions of space science

One proposed timeline of the origin of space, from physical cosmology.

By subject

• Stellar astronomy - the study of stars
  • Solar astronomy - the study of our Sun
• Planetary science - the study of planets, especially those other than Earth
• Galactic astronomy - the study of our Milky Way Galaxy
• Extragalactic astronomy - the study of the larger universe beyond the Milky Way
• Physical cosmology - the study of the origin, large-scale structure, and space-time relationships of the universe

See astronomical object for a list of specific types of entities which scientists study. See Earth's location in the universe for an orientation.

Interdisciplinary fields

A simulated-color map of the surface of Venus as measured by synthetic aperture radar on the Magellan probe.

The Helix Nebula, NGC7293.

Comet Tempel 1 67 seconds after colliding with the Deep Impact probe.

• Astrobiology
• Astrochemistry or Cosmochemistry
• Astrophysics - the intersection of physics and space science, the study of the physics of extraterrestrial objects and interstitial spaces
  • Space plasma physics
  • Orbital mechanics or astrodynamics, which also has applications to spacecraft
• Planetary science - overlaps with Earth science
  • Planetary geology
• Micro-g environment research
• Forensic astronomy
• Space archaeology - the study of human artifacts in outer space
• Archaeoastronomy - the history of human understanding of the universe
• Astronautics is the science and engineering of spacefaring and spaceflight, a subset of Aerospace engineering (which includes atmospheric flight)
  • Aerospace engineering
  • Control engineering
  • Orbital mechanics
  • Spacecraft design for launch vehicles and satellites
  • Space environment - study of conditions that affect the operation of spacecraft
  • Spacecraft propulsion
  • Space food
  • Space logistics
  • Space medicine

By approach

• Observational astronomy - Observatories on the ground as well as space observatories take measurements of celestial entities and phenomena
  • Astrometry - studies the position and movements of celestial objects
  • Amateur astronomy
• Theoretical astronomy - mathematical modelling of celestial entities and phenomena

Related activities

• Space exploration - includes scientific investigations through manned spaceflight and space probes
• Space colonization
• Commercialization of space
  • Space manufacturing
  • Space tourism
• Space warfare
  • Alien invasion
• Asteroid-impact avoidance
• Space law
• Remote sensing
• Planetarium - A synthetic observatory, used for education and presentations

See also

Astronaut Piers Sellers during the third spacewalk of STS-121, a demonstration of orbiter heat shield repair techniques.

• Space Sciences Laboratory - University of California, Berkeley

External links

• Space Sciences @ NASA
• Space Sciences @ ESA
• INDIAN INSTITUTE OF SPACE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
• Space Sciences Institute
• Space Science & Technology, (Persian) an Iranian nongovernmental group who writes scientific articles about Space Science & Technology