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

Space exploration – use of astronomy and space technology to explore outer space.^[1] Physical exploration of space is conducted both by human spaceflights and by robotic spacecraft.

Essence of space exploration

Space exploration

• Big science – Term used to describe a series of changes in science occurred in industrial nations
• Exploration – Process of investigating unfamiliar things
• High tech – Most advanced technology available
• Space – Void between celestial bodies
• Spaceflight – Flight into or through outer space

Branches of space exploration

• Human spaceflight – Spaceflight with a crew or passengers
• Uncrewed spaceflight – Autonomous space travel without human

History of space exploration

• Remote sensing of Earth
• Exploration of the Moon
  • Apollo program
  • Moon landings
  • Robotic exploration of the Moon
• Exploration of Mercury
• Exploration of Venus
• Exploration of Mars
  • Mars landings
  • Mars rovers
  • Mars Rotorcrafts
• Exploration of Jupiter
• Exploration of Saturn
• Exploration of Uranus
• Exploration of Neptune
• History of human spaceflight
  • Project Mercury
  • Project Gemini
  • Apollo program
  • Space Shuttle program
  • Vostok program
  • Voskhod program
  • Soyuz program
  • Shenzhou program
• List of human spaceflights
• List of Space Shuttle missions
• Spaceflight records
• Emergence of market forces in spaceflight
• Timeline of artificial satellites and space probes
• Timeline of astronauts by nationality
• Timeline of first orbital launches by country
• Timeline of rocket and missile technology
• Timeline of space exploration
• Timeline of space travel by nationality
• Timeline of spaceflight
• Timeline of the Space Race
• Timeline of Solar System exploration

Space agencies

• List of government space agencies
  • Space agencies capable of human spaceflight (as of January 2024)
    • NASA (USA)
    • CNSA (China)
    • RFSA (Russia)
  • Space agencies with full launch capability
    • NASA (USA)
    • RFSA (Russia)
    • CNSA (China)
    • ESA (Europe)
    • JAXA (Japan)
    • ISRO (India)
    • ISA (Israel)
    • KARI (South Korea)

Active deep space missions and space stations

• International Space Station
• Intuitive Machines Nova-C 1 Odysseus lander (NASA)
• Tiangong space station (CNSA)
• Chandrayaan-2 (ISRO)
• Chang'e 4 (CNSA)
• CAPSTONE (NASA)
• Danuri (KARI)
• Advanced Composition Explorer – NASA mission to observe solar wind
• Deep Space Climate Observatory – NOAA observatory for space weather
• Aditya-L1 (ISRO)
• Mars Odyssey (NASA)
• Mars Express – ESA satellite orbiting Mars
• Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (NASA)
• Mars Science Laboratory – NASA rover to Mars
• MAVEN – NASA satellite orbiting Mars
• ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (ESA / Roscosmos) – Mars satellite
• Tianwen-1 (CNSA)
• Mars 2020 Perseverance rover – NASA rover to Mars
• Akatsuki – JAXA satellite orbiting Venus
• BepiColombo (ESA / JAXA)
• STEREO – NASA mission to observe the Sun
• Parker Solar Probe – NASA probe to Sun
• Solar Orbiter – ESA probe to Sun
• Hayabusa2♯ (JAXA) – sample return mission to asteroid Ryugu
• OSIRIS-APEX (NASA) – probe to asteroid Apophis
• Lucy – NASA probe to multiple Jupiter trojans
• Psyche (NASA) – probe to asteroid Psyche
• Juno – NASA satellite orbiting Jupiter
• Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer – ESA probe to Jupiter and its moons
• New Horizons – probe to Pluto
• Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 (NASA) – probes to outer Solar System and interstellar space

Future of space exploration

Lunar (the Moon)

• Future lunar missions
• Colonization of the Moon
• Lunar outpost (NASA)

Sun

• Sundiver (space mission)

Mercury

• Colonization of Mercury

Venus

• Exploration of Venus

Mars

• Colonization of Mars
• Human mission to Mars
• Mars to Stay

Outer Solar System

• Colonization of the outer Solar System
  • Colonization of Titan

Beyond the Solar System

• Interstellar travel
  • Nuclear rocket
  • Fusion rocket
  • Solar sail
  • Einstein-Rosen bridge
  • Alcubierre drive
• Intergalactic travel

General space exploration concepts

• Astronaut – Commander, pilot, or crew member of a spacecraft
• Non-rocket spacelaunch – Concepts for launch into space
• Space and survival – Idea that long-term human presence requires to be spacefaring
• Space vehicle – Combination of launch vehicle and spacecraft
  • Launch vehicle – Rocket used to carry a spacecraft into space
  • Spacecraft – Vehicle or machine designed to fly in space
• Spaceflight – Flight into or through outer space
• Space research – Scientific studies carried out using scientific equipment in outer space

Space exploration scholars

Leaders in space exploration

• Yuri Gagarin – first man in space
• Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin – first men to walk on the Moon
• John Glenn – oldest man in orbit