Outline of space science

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

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

Space science – field that encompasses all of the scientific disciplines that involve space exploration and study natural phenomena and physical bodies occurring in outer space, such as space medicine and astrobiology.[1][2]

Branches of space sciences

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Astronomy

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The diversity found in the different types and scales of astronomical objects make the field of study increasingly specialized.
 
A proposed timeline of the origin of space, from physical cosmology

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 studies of astronomy:
    • Astrobiology – studies the advent and evolution of biological systems in the universe.
    • Space biology – studies to build a better understanding of how spaceflight affects living systems in spacecraft, or in ground-based experiments that mimic aspects of spaceflight[4]
    • Space chemistry – Reactions of elements to form more complex compounds, such as amino acids, are key to the study of chemistry in space.[5]
      • Astrobotany – Sub-discipline of botany that is the study of plants in space environments.
    • Archaeoastronomy – studies ancient or traditional astronomies in their cultural context, utilizing archaeological and anthropological evidence.
    • Space archaeology – the study of human artifacts in outer space
    • Forensic astronomy – the use of astronomy, the scientific study of celestial objects, to determine the appearance of the sky at specific times in the past.

Astronautics

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

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

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Space science – Define Space science", Dictionary.com
  2. ^ "Space science – Definition of space science", Free Online Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia
  3. ^ "astrophysics". Merriam-Webster, Incorporated. Retrieved 2011-05-22.
  4. ^ "Space Biology Program | Science Mission Directorate".
  5. ^ "Space chemistry | Science & Technology in Action".
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