Inside our never-ending quest to understand the cosmos. Space is far bigger than humanity can conceive. Although our ancestors visually examined the skies to make sense of the universe, space exploration in its truest sense is just a blip in this historical timeline. Space Exploration begins with the evolution of astronomy, including notable characters, scientific breakthroughs, and pinnacle moments. It delves into the development of robotic spacecraft and explores what crewed and uncrewed missions above and beyond our planet have uncovered. It questions how this knowledge will aid us in our future space endeavors and contemplates the myriad questions that remain unanswered. Space Exploration is part of the Illuminates series of short, accessible books that examine amazing aspects of space, brought to you by Royal Observatory Greenwich.