Introduction

Although a very brief period has elapsed since the launching of the first artificial satellite of the earth and man’s first flight into space, space research is extensively used in various fields of national economy. A new area of study of the earth and its natural resources—space natural history—is beginning to emerge. In this discipline, the most varied fields of science and technology are organically interwoven: almost all divisions of the earth sciences, physics and mathematics, radio engineering and exact mechanics, computation technology and engineering psychology, cosmonautics and rocket designing. The success of space natural history is ensured by the combined efforts of specialists in all these branches of science and technology.