Hi Matt.
Space itself doesn't, it is principally the sun that drives our weather and the tilt of the earths axis that gives us our seasons. But the tilt doesn't work alone. There is a cycle called the MilankovitchCycle (I think that's how it's spelt) that affect our long term worldwide climate.
The cycle has three components:
1. Changes to the tilt of the earths axis. The axis can change over a period of about 40,000 years from about 22.1 to 24.5 deg
2. Precession of the axis. The axis moves in a circle over a period of 26,000 years.
3. Increased eccentricity of the earths orbit over a 100,000 period. From Perihelion of the lowest eccentricity (orbit nearly round) to apihelion at creates eccentricity (more oval) there can be a 30% difference in the amount of solar radiation the earth receives.
You can find more info on the Milankovitch Cycles
here. Its an interesting read. Or maybe
this one