The paper summarizes the current status of light detectors in astronomy with focus onspace science missions. Due to the effort and time needed for the necessary spacequalifications, new technologies potentially interesting for space applications arecommonly developed and tested for use at on-ground observatories and flown once thetechnology has matured. But the space environment also requires the development of specialdetectors for spectral ranges only detectable beyond earth’s atmosphere or the developmentof features and technological enhancements, for example to mitigate space radiationeffects. An overview of detector technologies from the visible to short wavelengthinfrared (SWIR) band together with an outlook to the challenges of a next generation oflight detectors for space astronomy missions.