The universe is everything and is the word for all matter and space as a whole. Cosmos is more poetical and means the universe as seen in a harmonious or orderly way. Space or Outer Space is the a word for the universe outside of Earth. NASA would use all of these words I suppose, but in different contexts. "The universe is unfathomably large and is always expanding" "When I grow up, I want to travel to outer space" "Gaze up into the cosmos and you may realize how incredibly small you are"

"Universe" and "Cosmos" are almost synonyms. "Universe" means "everything there is." "Cosmos" means "the universe, considered as an organized system or whole." "Space" in this context means "Every place where the air is to thin to fly," or "Everything above the Kármán line, 100 km. above the surface of the earth." For NASA the appropriate word is "space," I think. Here's why: 1) NASA stands for "National Aeronautics and Space Administration." 2) NASA describes its mission at http://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/what_does_nasa_do.html Of the four "directorates," one relates to aeronautics within the atmosphere; two of them relate to "space:" developing technology for, and exploring, places that are in space, but close to the earth. The "science" directorate refers to the Earth, solar system and universe beyond. When NASA put the Hubble Space Telescope into orbit, its job involved putting a telescope into space. Then the astronomers that used the telescope explored the universe.

Hello there. When defining the word universe, it is when you take all of space, this is all of the matter, so the planets, moons, stars and all of the galaxies. Space is considered an area that includes the width, depth and height and all of its dimensions. I would consider it more of a precise area of the universe. Cosmos is a technical term, so it is used as a synonym of universe. Cosmo is Greek and means World or Universe.