Space Science Institute
The Space Science Institute (SSI) in Boulder, Colorado, is a nonprofit, public-benefit corporation formed in 1992. Its purpose is to create and maintain an environment where scientific research and education programs can flourish in an integrated fashion.
SSI's research program encompasses the following areas: space physics, earth science, planetary science, and astrophysics. The flight operations branch manages the Cassini-Huygens spacecraft's visible camera instrument and provides spectacular images of Saturn and its moons and rings to the public. SSI participates in mission operations and is home to the Cassini Imaging Central Laboratory for OPerations (CICLOPS).
The primary goal of SSI is to bring together researchers and educators to improve science education. Toward this end, the institute acts as an umbrella for researchers who wish to be independent of universities. In addition, it works with educators directly to improve teaching methods for astronomy. SSI has also produced several traveling exhibits for science museums, including Electric Space, Mars Quest, and Alien Earths. It is currently producing Giant Worlds.
Outline of space science
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to space science:
Space science – study of everything in outer space. 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, such as studying issues related to space travel and space exploration (including space medicine), space archaeology and science performed in outer space (see space research).
Branches of space science
- 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
- Observational astronomy – Observatories on the ground as well as space observatories take measurements 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
- 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
- Astrophysics – study of the physics of the universe; of extraterrestrial objects and interstitial spaces
