Through modern-sci fi movies, our knowledge of the temperature of space has been clear: Space is cold. But do we truly understand the reason why that is and how it impacts the future of Aerospace and Rocketry? Before we dive into the details of why space is cold we have the understand the data. Actually, our fundamental understanding of temperature in space is wrong. Temperature is a measurement of the speed at which particles are moving, and heat is how much energy the particles of an object have. The formula for temperature can be derived from the equation ΔT = Q/m*c, and this is where the problem actually starts. According to the formula, the temperature is derived from the variable m which represents mass. Space itself does not have a definite value for mass so according to human standards, the temperature of space can not be measured.
However, space does have radiation and light that produces heat so is there truly no temperature in space? The truth is that there are multiple objects within space that produce heat and can be measured using temperature however they are not uniformly dispersed throughout space. Instead in some parts, there are hot objects such as stars where temperatures are extremely high, and in other parts where temperatures can go well below sub-zero. In order to provide a uniform temperature for space, scientists had decided that the temperature of the cosmic microwave background would be 2.7K (below 200 C and 400 F).
There is another problem with this observation as well. Space was originally a singularity that was infinitely dense meaning that it had an immeasurably high temperature. As space expanded the temperature of the Cosmic Microwave Background decreased to the point it is at now, and it still isn’t stopping. Since the universe is continually expanding the temperature of the CMB will continue to decrease. Meaning that space currently does not have a temperature and it would still be an everchanging number if we could figure out the temperature.
This is a huge question in the field of aerospace and astrophysics as determining the temperature of space could help in determining the types of materials and sensors that need to be put on satellites and rockets for deep space missions where the temperature will not be as warm as in our solar system. Not only that but determining the temperature will also help astrophysicists understand the structure and birth of the universe as well as the potential direction the expansion of the universe will be heading in. But for now, there are still many mysteries surrounding temperature in space.
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