Deep Space, Deep Earth, Deep Sea and Polar Research

[Orbital Plane - NASA: An orbital plane is the flat, disk-shaped space that connects the center of the object being orbited with the center of the orbiting objects. Because all planets in our solar system share a similar orbital plane, planets don't run in to each other.]

All the planets, asteroids, meteoroids, and comets in the solar system orbit the sun. This is called heliocentric orbit. 

Almost all these bodies also travel in the same orbital plane, a thin disk surrounding the sun and extending to the edge of the solar system. The orbital plane usually prevents planets or other celestial bodies from bumping into each other. 

Some comets orbit outside the orbital plane, perpendicular or at an angle to the rest of the solar system bodies.

Deep space is the area of space that is well beyond the Earth-moon system. It is generally considered to be anything beyond the influence of Earth. 

The International Telecommunication Union defines deep space as starting at a distance of 2 million km (approximately 0.01 AU) from the Earth's surface. NASA's Deep Space Network has used criteria of 16,000 to 32,000 km from Earth. 

Deep space includes: 

• Space beyond the terrestrial planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars)
• Space beyond the solar system
• The region of space beyond the dark side of our Moon
• Lagrange 2, or L2, (274,000 miles from Earth)
• Asteroids

Deep space can be dangerous. In deep space, humans would die instantly unless protected. The Earth's atmosphere acts as a blanket between us and the cold and other dangers of deep space.

[More to come ...]