Dictionary of Space Concepts
What is the Dictionary of Space Concepts?
The Dictionary of Space Concepts (DSC) is a project by UNIVERSEH – the European Space University of Earth and Humanity. Starting in 2020, this Alliance of five European Universities decided to launch an online dictionary dealing with terms and concepts related to space sciences. It should be created and used by students, lecturers, researchers and citizens alike.
After an initial planning phase, the DSC was published in spring 2022. It opens up several opportunities for all members of the UNIVERSEH Alliance and interested citizens to contribute to the content of the DSC.
In our course "Terms and Concepts of Space" (to the registration) , students learn how to write a dictionary article and later on contribute several entries to the DSC. Students and other members of the UNIVERSEH Alliance can also submit articles for the DSC via an entry in here . Interested citizens can contribute in this entry platform.
Once submitted, these articles are reviewed by UNIVERSEH Alliance staff and, if necessary, edited before their publication in the Dictionary.
In this way, the DSC is a dynamic project that is constantly expanding in content and quality through constant contributions from students, staff and citizens.
Currently sorted By creation date ascending Sort chronologically: By last update | By creation date
International Space Station | |||
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Definition:A research facility that was launched in 1998, is orbiting around the Earth and is operated by multinational groups of astronauts sent regularly by five space agencies participating in the project – NASA (the USA), Roscosmos (Russia), ESA (Europe), JAXA (Japan) and CSA (Canada). Translations:
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DART Mission | |||
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Source: https://dart.jhuapl.edu/Gallery/media/graphics/lg/DART-infographic_v4.jpg Definition:A mission planned by NASA to test a method of planetary defense by redirecting an asteroid, which could hypothetically pose a threat to Earth, by means of the DART spacecraft deliberately crashing itself into this asteroid. The DART spacecraft was built by Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory and was launched on November 23, 2021 at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Its target is the binary near-Earth asteroid Didymos (780 m across) and its secondary body, or “moonlet”, Dimorphos (163 m across). This binary asteroid is situated roughly 11 million kilometers from the Earth and does not pose a threat to the planet, but corresponds to the size of a potentially hazardous celestial body (140 m or more in diameter). As a result of the planned collision at the end of September 2022, the orbit of Dimorphos will change, this change will be observed and measured using telescopes on Earth and the data will be used to predict effectiveness of kinetic impact for the purpose of asteroid deflection as a planetary defense method. (https://blogs.nasa.gov/dart/2021/11/24/nasa-spacex-launch-dart-first-planetary-defense-test-mission/) Etymology:DART stands for “Double Asteroid Redirection Test” Translations:
Links to Videos/Articles:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbL07cZUEMU More detailed information on the project:https://www.nasa.gov/planetarydefense/dart https://dart.jhuapl.edu/ | |||
Planet | |||
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 Source: Starkiteckt (2016, June 30). Icy Planet. flickr. https://www.flickr.com/photos/141051222@N04/27966261236 Definition:A large round celestial body orbiting around a star. EtymologyFrom the Greek word “πλανήτης” (“wanderer”). Translations:
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Space graveyard | |||
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 Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:S4-space-junk-045.jpg Definition:An area on Earth's surface or orbit in which decommissioned spacecrafts or satellites are discarded. Etymology:Translations:
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Moon | |||
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 Full moon Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:FullMoon2010.jpg 25 Nov. 2021 Natural satellites Source : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_satellite#/media/File:Moons_of_solar_system_v7.jpg 25 Nov. 2021 DefinitionThe Moon (Luna, Selene, Cynthia) as Earth’s only natural satellite; moons as natural satellites Etymology:From Proto-Indo-European “mēnsis” meaning “month" -> Proto-Germanic “mēnōn” -> Old English “mōna” Translations:
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Atmosphere | |||
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 Source: Gatley, R. (2018, January 27). Cruising at 47000 feet over Kazakhstan. Shot with an 8mm fisheye lens.. unsplash. https://unsplash.com/photos/oxgK2f_rxDc Definition:The mass of gas that surrounds an astronomical body, such as a planet, and is held in place by the gravity of this body. Etymology:From Greek ατμός (atmos)'vapor' + σφαιρα (sphaira)'sphere' Translations:
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Big Bang | |||
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 Source: Midjourney (2023, May 24). Artistic AI Illustration of the Big Bang. midjourney. midjourney.com Definition:
According to the Big Bang Theory, this is the starting point of the known, observable universe, when a rapid expansion of matter took place. According to the standard cosmological model (Big Bang Theory), the Big Bang occurred about 13.8 billion years ago. The model describes how the universe expanded from an initial state of high density and temperature, and offers an explanation for a broad range of observed phenomena, like the lighter elements, such as hydrogen and helium. Etymology:From English big “of considerable size or extent” and bang “to (cause something to) make a sudden very loud noise or noises.” The term was introduced in 1948 by the British astronomer Fred Hoyle. In a radio broadcast, Mr Hoyle made disparaging remarks about the hypothesis of the expanding universe and mocked its starting point as the "big bang", without suspecting that he was giving birth to a term that would become part of humankind's common vocabulary. Translations:
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Point Nemo | |||
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 Source: Midjourney (2023, May 25). AI illustration of point nemo. Midjourney. midjourney Space junkyard... Tags: space junkyard Keyword(s): Space Junkyard Probe (Last edited: Monday, 24 July 2023, 3:44 PM) Source: Todd, G. (October 2013). Mariner Space Probe. flickr. https://www.flickr.com/photos/101561334@N08/10437025414 Space junkyard... | |||
Spaceship | ||
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cf. Spacecraft | ||