The historical dimension of space exploration: reflections and possibilities
Abstract
It is a common understanding that the space exploration program of the United States was born out of the Cold War rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union in the latter 1950s. It is also banal to say that with the birth of the space age in 1957, the efforts to explore this new region have progressed along a rather rocky path from cautious beginning through anxious implementation back to cautious activities at the end of the twentieth century. Engaged in a broad contest over the ideologies and allegiances of the non-aligned nations of the world, space exploration enjoyed for more than a decade a treasured place in the pantheon of American public policy initiatives and the scientific and technical elites comprising the institutions carrying out those initiatives received favored status and preferential treatment in the scramble for resources. Such priority lessened in the 1970s, and with the collapse of the Cold War weltanschauung continued emphasis on space flight has lessened as well.
- Publication:
-
Space Policy
- Pub Date:
- 2000
- DOI:
- 10.1016/S0265-9646(99)00055-7
- Bibcode:
- 2000SpPol..16...23L