Outline of space science

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

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to space science:

Space science – study of everything in outer space.^[1] This has sometimes been called astronomy, but recently astronomy has come to be regarded as a division of broader space science, which has grown to include other related fields,^[2] such as studying issues related to space travel and space exploration (including space medicine), space archaeology^[3] and science performed in outer space (see space research).

Branches of space science

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

• Astronomy
  • Fields of astronomy defined 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
  • Fields of astronomy defined by scope
    • Astrophysics – study of the physics of the universe; of extraterrestrial objects and interstitial spaces
      • Space plasma physics
      • Orbital mechanics or astrodynamics, which also has applications to spacecraft
    • Stellar astronomy – the study of stars
      • Solar astronomy – the study of our Sun
    • Planetary science – the study of planets, especially those other than Earth
      • Planetary geology
    • 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 universe as a whole
• Aerospace engineering
  • Astronautics

Space-related interdisciplinary fields

• Astrobiology
• Astrochemistry or cosmochemistry
• Planetary science – overlaps with Earth science
• 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

Astronomy

See Outline of astronomy

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

Space exploration

See Outline of space exploration

Astronautics

Astronautics – science and engineering of spacefaring and spaceflight, a subset of Aerospace engineering (which includes atmospheric flight)

• Life in space
  • Living organisms in space
    • Humans in space
      • Women in space
    • Animals in space
      • Dogs in space
        • Soviet space dogs
      • Monkeys and apes in space
    • Microorganisms tested in outer space
    • Plants in space
  • Space habitation
    • Architecture in space
      • Space station
        • Space Habitation Module
    • Food in space
    • Medicine in space
      • Neuroscience in space
    • Religion in space
      • Christmas on the International Space Station
    • Sex in space
    • Survival in space
    • Writing in space
  • Human spaceflight

See also

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

• Outline of aerospace
• Space Sciences Laboratory – University of California, Berkeley
• 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
• Centennial Challenges NASA prize contests
• Exploration of Mars
• Human spaceflight
• Space exploration
• Space architecture
• Space colonization
• Space industry
• Space industry of Russia
• Timeline of artificial satellites and space probes
• Batteries in space
• Control engineering
• Corrosion in space
• Industry in space
• Nuclear power in space
• Observatories in space
• Orbital mechanics
• Robotics
• Space environment – study of conditions that affect the operation of spacecraft
• Space logistics
• Space technology
  • Space-based radar
  • Space-based solar power
  • Spacecraft design for launch vehicles and satellites
  • Spacecraft propulsion

References

1. space science – definition of space science by the Free Online Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia
2. National Space Science Data Center (NSSDC) – NASA Science
3. Space science | Define Space science at Dictionary.com

External links

• Institute of Space Technology, Pakistan
• 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