Space Applications of CdZnTe and CdTe Detector Systems: Past, Present and Future

Here I will attempt to outline some of the significant threads of CdTe and CdZnTe (CZT) detector technology development alongside the parallel evolution in high energy space research, encompassing astrophysics, heliophysics, and planetary science. It is not intended to capture the whole scope of both enterprises, but rather, to provide sufficient detail to enable the interested reader some insight into how these threads have tied together in the past and how current trends might propel the field forward in the years to come.