What is Deep Space?
Deep space research is the field of astronomy, astro-astronomy and space science which is involved in exploring the distant reaches of space. But, there isn’t much agreement on the precise definition of “space” in this context. In some contexts, it’s used to describe vast stretches of empty space beyond the Earth’s atmosphere. In other contexts, it refers to the space occupied by the Sun, Jupiter, Saturn and any other giant planet. In its most general terms, it’s the region where spacefaring beings like planets, stars, traveling through space at greater speeds than the Earth’s atmosphere can allow, find themselves.
To be accurate, deep space research is a field which studies the phenomenon of travel through space in outer space, traveling faster than the speed of light in our own solar system, even faster than the maximum speed at which ever created objects can travel. It’s an enigma because no one knows for sure what happens when a spacecraft crosses the massive G Zone, or what will happen if a probe made of tumbling gas shocks its way into an unknown region of the solar system. To put it simply, deep space missions are very important and they are carried out by international teams with a number of different countries each dedicated to a specific research theme. Some examples include studying the composition of dust in space, trying to locate planets beyond our solar system, studying the structure of gas clouds and studying the moon, and observing stars and supernovae. Although there have been many successful missions, some have also encountered problems, including the Cassini Spacecraft which is stranded near the planet Saturn, losing half its instruments, and even losing contact with NASA’s Earth-orbiting space telescopes.
There are two types of deep space exploratory missions; those which use robotic space probes and those which use human explorers. Of these, the first type is the most popular due to its lower cost and ease of use, and as such, the United States is one of its biggest supporters. There is a lot of historical significance with deep space flights, since the first people lived on the moon and brought their technology back to earth with them. They left behind evidence of their existence through photography and signs of their craft. The other type of deep space exploration uses astronauts. Since we have only recently begun to build huge space stations in which to operate from, a lot of the technical considerations are very important.