Space exploration

Investigation of outer space Buzz Aldrin taking a core sample of the Moon during the 1969 Apollo 11 mission Self-portrait of Curiosity rover on Mars's surface, 2012 Part of a series onSpaceflight History History of spaceflight Space Race Timeline of spaceflight Space probes Lunar missions Mars missions Applications Communications Earth observation Exploration Espionage Military Navigation Colonization Habitation Exploration Telescopes Tourism Spacecraft Robotic spacecraft Satellite Space probe Cargo spacecraft Crewed spacecraft Apollo Lunar Module Space capsules Space Shuttle Space stations Spaceplanes Vostok Space launch Spaceport Launch pad Expendable and reusable launch vehicles Escape velocity Non-rocket spacelaunch Spaceflight types Sub-orbital Orbital Interplanetary Interstellar Intergalactic List of space organizations Space agencies Space forces Companies Spaceflight portalvte Space exploration is the physical investigation of outer space by uncrewed robotic space probes and through human spaceflight. While the observation of objects in space, known as astronomy, predates reliable recorded history, it was the development of large and relatively efficient rockets during the