SPACE ENVIRONMENT
Lėja Volodkovičiūtė
In this summary I am
going to focus on space environment which is a branch of astronautics,
aerospace engineering and space physics that seeks to understand and address
conditions existing in space that affect the design and operation of a spacecraft.
Also, I am going analyze aspects of the space environment.
KEY TERMS
Space weather
is a branch of space physics and aeronomy concerning the time varying
conditions within the Solar System, including the solar wind, emphasizing the
space surrounding the Earth as well as the conditions in the magnetosphere,
ionosphere and thermosphere https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_weather
Aerospace is the branch of technology and industry
concerning both aviation and space flight
https://www.google.lt/search?dcr=0&ei=eLgyWu_jI8iP6ASWhZ7YAw&q=aerospace+meaning&oq=Aerospace++meaning&gs_l=psy-ab.1.0.35i39k1j0i7i30k1l3j0i203k1l6.206373.214519.0.217185.3.3.0.0.0.0.117.236.2j1.3.0....0...1c.1.64.psy-ab..0.2.179...0.0.OCBDr0DAV8s
GPS is a abbreviation for global
positioning system: a system that can show the exact position of a person or thing
by using signals from satellites (= objects in space that send signals to
earth) https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/gps
Atmosphere is the envelope
of gases surrounding the earth or another planet https://www.google.lt/search?dcr=0&ei=CJsyWoLDDYb36ATil4Yw&q=Atmosphere+meaning&oq=Atmosphere+meaning&gs_l=psy-ab.3..0l2j0i22i30k1l8.1473600.1484495.0.1484812.13.11.0.2.2.0.189.764.8j1.11.0....0...1c.1.64.psy-ab..0.11.798.0..0i67k1j0i19k1j0i22i30i19k1j0i10k1.45.QOAdx8LE3YQ
Meteroid is a small body moving in the solar system that would become a meteor
if it entered the earth's atmosphere. https://www.google.lt/search?dcr=0&ei=PbgyWp-WFsiR6ASt-ofYBA&q=Meteroid+meaning&oq=Meteroid+meaning&gs_l=psy-ab.3..0i7i10i30k1l4j0i10i203k1l2.42458.47961.0.49752.2.2.0.0.0.0.69.135.2.2.0....0...1c.1.64.psy-ab..0.2.134...0.0.zvtfssBYFbU
SUMMARY
The origins and
fate of life on Earth are intimately connected to the way the Earth responds to
the Sun’s variations. We live in the extended atmosphere of an active star
where the solar activity and the space magnetic storms affect in various ways
human life. Solar conditions are favorable for the development of
electromagnetic disturbances in geospace, which can effectively influence the
performance and reliability of space and ground-based technological systems.
Space weather influence on the Earth’s weather and climate is still a
developing topic. Moreover, little is known concerning the biological effects
of space weather, especially regarding astronauts.
A related subject with space environment is space
weather which deals with dynamic processes in the solar-terrestrial system that
can give rise to effects on spacecraft, but that can also affect the
atmosphere, ionosphere and geomagnetic field, giving rise to several other
kinds of effects on human technologies. Space weather effects on Earth can
include ionospheric storms, temporary decreases in ozone densities, disruption
to radio communication, to GPS signals and submarine positioning. Space debris
and meteoroids can impact spacecraft at high speeds, causing mechanical or
electrical damage. The average speed of space debris is 10 km/s while the
average speed of meteoroids is much greater. Space weather is distinct from the
terrestrial weather of the Earth's atmosphere. The science of space weather is
focused on fundamental research and practical applications. The term space
weather was first used in the 1950s and came into common usage in the 1990s.
Vacuum is also the one of aspects of the Space environment.
The hard vacuum of space will cause outgassing, which is the release of
volatiles from materials. The outgassed molecules then deposit on line-of-sight
surfaces and are more likely to deposit on cold surfaces. This molecular
contamination can affect optical properties of vehicle and payload surfaces and
spacecraft performance, particularly for sensitive optics.
REFERENCES