Space technology is technology that is related to entering space, maintaining and using systems during spaceflight and returning people and things from space.
"Every day" technologies such as weather forecasting, remote sensing, GPS systems, satellite television, and some long distance communications systems critically rely on space infrastructure. Of sciences astronomy and Earth sciences (via remote sensing) most notably benefit from space technology.
Computers and telemetry were once leading edge technologies that might have been considered "space technology" because of their criticality to boosters and spacecraft. They existed prior to the Space Race of the Cold War
but their development was vastly accelerated to meet the needs of the
two major superpowers' space programs. While still used today in
spacecraft and missiles,
the more prosaic applications such as remote monitoring (via telemetry)
of patients, water plants, highway conditions, etc. and the widespread
use of computers far surpasses their space applications in quantity and
variety of application.
Space
is such an alien environment that attempting to work in it requires new
techniques and knowledge. New technologies originating with or
accelerated by space-related endeavors are often subsequently exploited
in other economic activities.
This has been widely pointed to as
beneficial by space advocates and enthusiasts favoring the investment of
public funds in space activities and programs. Political opponents
counter that it would be far cheaper to develop specific technologies
directly if they are beneficial and scoff at this justification for
public expenditures on space-related research.
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