Space exploration is the use of astronomy and space technology to explore outer space. Physical exploration of space is conducted both by human spaceflights and by robotic spacecraft.

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

Essence of space exploration

Main article: Space exploration

Space exploration is a high technology domain in which relatively few countries have made major investments. Near-term practical applications include communications, meteorology, Earth resources exploitation and assessment, search and rescue, and military intelligence gathering. Longer-term activities, often with a mixture of practical and cultural justifications, include such areas as scientific investigation, asteroidal impact hazard assessment and its mitigation, and microgravity materials science and biology research, both pure and applied. A further strong justification, somewhat speculative and often quite controversial, is human expansion into the space environment, for solar energy and space materials utilization, exploration, and eventual colonization and habitation.

Terms that describe space exploration include:

• Big Science
• Exploration
• High tech
• Space
• Spaceflight