Space Environment
Space environment refrt to the environment as it occurs independet of the presence of a spacecraft; thus, it incluides both naturally ocurring phenomena such as atomic oxygen and atmospheric density, ionizing, radiation, plasma, etc. and a few man-made factors such as orbital debris. [...] Understanding these natural space environments and their effect on spacecraft enables program management to more effectively optimize the following aspects of a spacecraft mission: Risk [...], Cost [...], Quality [...], Weight [...], Verification [...] and Science and Technology." (National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 1994)
"The natural space environment: effects on spacecraft". NASA, National Aeronautics and Space Administration. 1994.
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19950019455.pdf.
Accessed March 29, 2019.