// ORBITAL LOGISTICS AND PROPULSION TERM
Solar System
Our Solar System consists of the Sun and all the celestial objects gravitationally bound to it, including planets, dwarf planets, moons, asteroids, and comets.
TECHNICAL DEFINITION
The Solar System is the gravitationally bound system comprising the Sun and all the objects that orbit it, including eight planets, five recognized dwarf planets, over 200 moons, countless asteroids, comets, and other small bodies, all formed from a collapsing giant molecular cloud approximately 4.6 billion years ago.
BACKGROUND
Outer space, or simply space, is the expanse that exists beyond Earth's atmosphere and between celestial bodies. It contains ultra-low levels of particle densities, constituting a near-perfect vacuum of predominantly hydrogen and helium plasma, permeated by electromagnetic radiation, cosmic rays, neutrinos, magnetic fields and dust. The baseline temperature of outer space, as set by the background radiation from the Big Bang, is 2.7 kelvins.
READ MORE ON WIKIPEDIASYNONYMS & ALIASES
- Our planetary system
- Sol system
- Sun's system
USAGE NOTE
Understanding the formation and evolution of our Solar System provides context for exoplanetary research.
DEVELOPERS
Organizations developing technology related to Solar System.
A U.S. government agency responsible for the civilian space program, aeronautics research, and space exploration, with numerous missions focused on exploring planets, moons, asteroids, and other celestial bodies within our Solar System.
An American aerospace manufacturer and space transportation services company focused on reducing space transportation costs and enabling the colonization of Mars, developing advanced rockets and spacecraft capable of Solar System exploration.
An intergovernmental organization of 22 member states dedicated to the exploration of space, including a wide range of scientific missions to study the Sun, Earth, other planets, and minor bodies in the Solar System.
An American privately funded aerospace manufacturer and sub-orbital spaceflight services company developing technologies to enable human access to space for various purposes, including lunar missions and future Solar System exploration.
Japan's national aerospace and space agency, conducting research and development in space exploration, including highly successful missions to asteroids (Hayabusa) and planetary science initiatives within the Solar System.
A major aerospace manufacturer and defense contractor that builds spacecraft for various missions, including deep space probes, planetary orbiters, and human exploration vehicles for agencies like NASA, directly contributing to Solar System exploration.
The national space agency of China responsible for the national space program, including ambitious missions to the Moon (Chang'e program) and Mars (Tianwen program), demonstrating significant capabilities in Solar System exploration.
An American space exploration company specializing in lunar access and exploration, developing and operating lunar landers and related technologies that enable scientific and commercial missions to the Moon, a key body within the Solar System.