- Launius Historical Services
2149 Wedgewood Court
Auburn, AL 36830 - 202-528-3278
Roger D Launius
Smithsonian Institution, National Air and Space Museum, Department Member
- History, Social History, History of Science, Science Education, American History, Museum Studies, and 44 moreReligion and Politics, Historiography, History of Religion, Science, History and Memory, Science Fiction, Political History, History of Science and Technology, Education Policy, Posthumanism, History of Technology, Space Sciences, U.S. history, Science Policy, Science and Religion, Public History, American Religion, Historic Preservation, Cold War, Planetary Science, Policy Studies, SF Film and Television, American West, Broadcast & Multimedia Technology, Twentieth Century American Politics, Law and Policy, Cultural Cold War, Baseball, History of Space Travel, Satellite Technology, History of Fundamentalism, Technology (Literature), SF Movements, Human Spaceflight, Telecomms, Nucler Politics, Technological Nationalism, Race and Science, History of Spaceflight, Mormon History, Sermon History, Sermons of Joseph Smith, Space History, Science and Technology Studies, Computer Networks, Databases, and Softwareedit
- I am Roger D. Launius, former Associate Director for Collections and Curatorial Affairs at the Smithsonian Institutio... moreI am Roger D. Launius, former Associate Director for Collections and Curatorial Affairs at the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., retiring in 2017. Currently, I am principal for Launius Historical Services. Between 1990 and 2002 I served as chief historian of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. After completing my Ph.D. in 1982 I worked as an historian with the U.S. Air Force before moving to NASA.
I was born in Galesburg, Illinois, in 1954 and grew up in Greenville, South Carolina. I graduated from Graceland College (now Graceland University), Lamoni, Iowa, in 1976 and received the M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in history in 1978 and 1982 at Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, with major fields in American frontier and military history. I pursued my longstanding interest in the field of history when as an undergraduate I couldn't conquer the higher math required for biology.edit
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Launius, Roger D., and David H. DeVorkin, editors. Hubble’s Legacy: Reflections by Those Who Dreamed It, Built It, and Observed the Universe with It. xvi + 220 pages, 78 figures, 2014.—The development and operation of the Hubble Space... more
Launius, Roger D., and David H. DeVorkin, editors. Hubble’s Legacy: Reflections by Those Who Dreamed It, Built It, and Observed the Universe with It. xvi + 220 pages, 78 figures, 2014.—The development and operation of the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) have resulted in many rich legacies, most particularly in science and technology—but in culture as well. It is also the first telescope in space that has been utilized as effectively as if it were situated on a mountaintop here on earth, accessible for repair and improvement when needed. This book, which includes contributions from historians of science, key scientists and administrators, and one of the principal astronauts who led many of the servicing missions, is meant to capture the history of this iconic instrument. The book covers three basic phases of HST’s history and legacy: (1) conceiving and selling the idea of a large orbiting optical telescope to astronomers, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and the U.S. Congress, its creation as the HST, and its definition as a serviceable mission; (2) its launch, the discovery of the flawed mirror, the engineering of the mirror fix, subsequent servicing missions, decisions on upgrades, and the controversy over a “final” servicing mission; and (3) HST’s public image after launch—how the mirror fix changed its public image, how the HST then changed the way we visualize the universe, and how the public saved the final HST servicing mission. Collectively, this work offers a measured assessment of the HST and its contributions to science over more than 23 years. It brings together contributions from scholars, engineers, scientists, and astronauts to form an integrated story and to assess the long-term results from the mission.
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With the rise of a range of private-sector entrepreneurial firms interested in pursuing space commerce, the process whereby their efforts might be incubated, fostered, and expanded comes to the fore as an important public policy concern... more
With the rise of a range of private-sector entrepreneurial firms interested in pursuing space commerce, the process whereby their efforts might be incubated, fostered, and expanded comes to the fore as an important public policy concern in a way never before present in the Space Age. In the United States we are witnessing the convergence of several powerful economic forces, including the need to restore American capability to reach low-Earth orbit (LEO) for the servicing of the International Space Station (ISS) and the rise of a hospitality/tourism/entertainment industry interested in space.
Through these case studies, we explore how to apply more effectively already-tested models of government support for commercial activities, as well as the interactions of both the public and private spheres in a new opportunity zone in space. In each case, a summation yields a range of key points.
Through these case studies, we explore how to apply more effectively already-tested models of government support for commercial activities, as well as the interactions of both the public and private spheres in a new opportunity zone in space. In each case, a summation yields a range of key points.
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For the first time in its 30-year history, the NASA Space Shuttle program is chronicled in precise detail, with a focus on the major aspects of the Space Shuttle History including: its successes, failures, and lessons learned. Using a... more
For the first time in its 30-year history, the NASA Space Shuttle program is chronicled in precise detail, with a focus on the major aspects of the Space Shuttle History including: its successes, failures, and lessons learned. Using a series of personal anecdotes, Space Shuttle Legacy: How We Did It and What We Learned offers insights from many industry experts including: historians, political scientists, public administrators, engineers, and scientists giving readers the most complete account of the program. With this book, readers are given the most approachable and basic account of the long history of the Space Shuttle program. The authors intend this book to serve as a catalyst for additional study of the Space Shuttle and its legacy. Even though the program has ended, there is still limitless opportunity for scholars to explore the topic and assist space professionals in their future endeavours.
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From the beginning of the Space Age the United States, followed soon by other nations, began an impressive effort to learn about the planets of the solar system. The data collected and analyzed by scientists has revolutionized... more
From the beginning of the Space Age the United States, followed soon by other nations, began an impressive effort to learn about the planets of the solar system. The data collected and analyzed by scientists has revolutionized understanding of our neighbors. These efforts also captured the imagination of people from all backgrounds like nothing else except the Apollo lunar missions. Through a succession of analytical essays on major aspects of the history of robotic planetary exploration, this book opens new vistas in the understanding of the development of planetary science in the Space Age.
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One of the most difficult tasks with which NASA has had to deal is how its space systems operate while transiting the atmosphere as they return to Earth. Coming home after a flight into space is fundamentally a challenge that has involved... more
One of the most difficult tasks with which NASA has had to deal is how its space systems operate while transiting the atmosphere as they return to Earth. Coming home after a flight into space is fundamentally a challenge that has involved over the years critical contributions from engineers working in aerodynamics, thermal protection, guidance and control, stability, propulsion, and landing systems. Without this base of fundamental and applied research the capability to fly into space would not exist.
Accordingly, this case study is intended as a means of highlighting the myriad technological developments that made possible the safe reentry and return from space and landing on Earth. This story extends back at least to the work of Walter Hohmann and Eugen Sänger in Germany in the 1920s and involved numerous NACA and NASA engineers at the Langley, Lewis, and Ames laboratories. For example, researchers such as H. Julian Allen and Alfred J. Eggers at Ames pioneered blunt body reentry techniques and ablative thermal protection systems in the 1950s, while Francis M. Rogallo at Langley developed creative parasail concepts that informed the development of the recovery systems of numerous reentry vehicles.
It is time that this important story is told in a compelling, sophisticated, and technically sound manner for a general audience. Bits and pieces of this history exist in various disparate publications, but the critical role played by the researchers in developing the concepts that made possible a return to Earth have been generally overlooked. Moreover, the challenges, mystery, and outcomes wrestled with by those in programs that required safe reentry and return to Earth offer object lessons in how earlier generations of engineers sought optimal solutions and made trade-offs. With the development of the human space vehicles presently underway, along with NASA’s return to a capsule concept for spaceflight, it may be more important than ever to record this history to help inform the NASA team of what has gone before and the lessons they may learn from those earlier efforts.
Accordingly, this case study is intended as a means of highlighting the myriad technological developments that made possible the safe reentry and return from space and landing on Earth. This story extends back at least to the work of Walter Hohmann and Eugen Sänger in Germany in the 1920s and involved numerous NACA and NASA engineers at the Langley, Lewis, and Ames laboratories. For example, researchers such as H. Julian Allen and Alfred J. Eggers at Ames pioneered blunt body reentry techniques and ablative thermal protection systems in the 1950s, while Francis M. Rogallo at Langley developed creative parasail concepts that informed the development of the recovery systems of numerous reentry vehicles.
It is time that this important story is told in a compelling, sophisticated, and technically sound manner for a general audience. Bits and pieces of this history exist in various disparate publications, but the critical role played by the researchers in developing the concepts that made possible a return to Earth have been generally overlooked. Moreover, the challenges, mystery, and outcomes wrestled with by those in programs that required safe reentry and return to Earth offer object lessons in how earlier generations of engineers sought optimal solutions and made trade-offs. With the development of the human space vehicles presently underway, along with NASA’s return to a capsule concept for spaceflight, it may be more important than ever to record this history to help inform the NASA team of what has gone before and the lessons they may learn from those earlier efforts.
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Before the "Bronx Zoo" of George Steinbrenner and Billy Martin, there were the Oakland Athletics of the early 1970s, one of the most successful, most colorful—and most chaotic—baseball teams of all time. They were all of those things... more
Before the "Bronx Zoo" of George Steinbrenner and Billy Martin, there were the Oakland Athletics of the early 1970s, one of the most successful, most colorful—and most chaotic—baseball teams of all time. They were all of those things because of Charlie Finley. Not only the A's owner, he was also the general manager, personally assembling his team, deciding his players' salaries, and making player moves during the season—a level of involvement no other owner, not even Steinbrenner, engaged in.
Drawing on interviews with dozens of Finley's players, family members, and colleagues, G. Michael Green and Roger D. Launius present "Baseball's Super Showman" (Time magazine's description of Finley on the cover of an August 1975 issue) in all his contradictions: generous yet vengeful, inventive yet destructive. The stories surrounding him are as colorful as the life he led, the chronicle of which fills an important gap in baseball's literature.
Drawing on interviews with dozens of Finley's players, family members, and colleagues, G. Michael Green and Roger D. Launius present "Baseball's Super Showman" (Time magazine's description of Finley on the cover of an August 1975 issue) in all his contradictions: generous yet vengeful, inventive yet destructive. The stories surrounding him are as colorful as the life he led, the chronicle of which fills an important gap in baseball's literature.
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""In the history of space exploration, there have been many leaps for humankind. From the foremost experts at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum, here is a complete visual narrative of our journey from Earth to the stars. . .... more
""In the history of space exploration, there have been many leaps for humankind. From the foremost experts at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum, here is a complete visual narrative of our journey from Earth to the stars. . . . "
Although the momentous October 4, 1957, launch of Sputnik 1 was not the beginning of humanity's adventure toward space—our curiosity about the skies has been one of the few constants in history—it was the first true venture into orbit. And when future generations think of the twentieth century, they will undoubtedly judge our movement into space, with both machines and people, as a crowning achievement. As we progress in the new millennium, space exploration is vital to managing our global future, as well as to understanding our past and the creation of Earth.
The Atlas of Space Exploration depicts the ever-fascinating history of the space age and humanity's progress in exploring new frontiers. Incredible images from NASA and other sources, visual conceptions of Moon bases, and newly commissioned maps reveal a visual history spanning the earliest eras of the universe, the dawn of the space age, the launch of Sputnik, missions to the Moon, robot landings on the terrestrial planets, and the exploration of the outer solar system. These developments in technology are illuminated by a rich historical context, highlighting how space exploration has changed and expanded our vision of the universe."
Although the momentous October 4, 1957, launch of Sputnik 1 was not the beginning of humanity's adventure toward space—our curiosity about the skies has been one of the few constants in history—it was the first true venture into orbit. And when future generations think of the twentieth century, they will undoubtedly judge our movement into space, with both machines and people, as a crowning achievement. As we progress in the new millennium, space exploration is vital to managing our global future, as well as to understanding our past and the creation of Earth.
The Atlas of Space Exploration depicts the ever-fascinating history of the space age and humanity's progress in exploring new frontiers. Incredible images from NASA and other sources, visual conceptions of Moon bases, and newly commissioned maps reveal a visual history spanning the earliest eras of the universe, the dawn of the space age, the launch of Sputnik, missions to the Moon, robot landings on the terrestrial planets, and the exploration of the outer solar system. These developments in technology are illuminated by a rich historical context, highlighting how space exploration has changed and expanded our vision of the universe."
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The U.S. space race of the 1960s was an enormous undertaking, costing $$25.4 billion (about $$125 billion in 2009 dollars) with only the building of the Panama Canal rivalling the Apollo program's size as the largest nonmilitary... more
The U.S. space race of the 1960s was an enormous undertaking, costing $$25.4 billion (about $$125 billion in 2009 dollars) with only the building of the Panama Canal rivalling the Apollo program's size as the largest nonmilitary technological endeavor ever undertaken by the United States. In the process, the United States built a massive infrastructure to support missions to the Moon. In the aftermath of the successful completion of the program, much of this infrastructure was abandoned, some was altered for other uses, and much torn down. This paper surveys six major cultural landmarks of the Moon race, assessing their differing fates:1. The Apollo Launch Pads——LC 39A and B——Kennedy Space Center, Florida.2. The Vertical Assembly Building (VAB), Kennedy Space Center, Florida.3. Mission Control Center (MCC), Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas.4. Six Apollo landing sites on the Moon.5. Lunar Landing Research Facility, Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia.6. Apollo Command ...
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... see these important works, Rip Bulkeley, The Sputniks Crisis and Early United States Space Policy: A Critique ... Matthew J. Von Benke, The Politics of Space: A History of US-Soviet/Russian ... 48-49 68 Roger D. Launius, 'The... more
... see these important works, Rip Bulkeley, The Sputniks Crisis and Early United States Space Policy: A Critique ... Matthew J. Von Benke, The Politics of Space: A History of US-Soviet/Russian ... 48-49 68 Roger D. Launius, 'The Historical Dimension of Space Exploration: Reflections ...
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This report examines the engineering feasibility of the application of nuclear energy to long range supersonic rockets and ram jets. Specifically, analysis indicates that a 10,000 mile rocket-missile, nuclear powered and hydrogen... more
This report examines the engineering feasibility of the application of nuclear energy to long range supersonic rockets and ram jets. Specifically, analysis indicates that a 10,000 mile rocket-missile, nuclear powered and hydrogen propelled, can be designed and constructed with a gross initial weight of about 100,000 pounds and a useful payload of 8,000 pounds. With slight modification, and without the payload, the rocket can escape from the gravitational field of the earth. The analysis further shows that a nuclear powered ram jet with an 8,000 pound payload has a gross weight of 17,600 pounds and can fly almost indefinitely at a speed of about 2,000 miles per hour.
on 6 April 1860, he expressed his unqualified aversion to the Mormon doctrine of plural marriage: "There is but one principle by the leaders of any faction of this people that I hold in utter abhorrence; that is a principle taught by... more
on 6 April 1860, he expressed his unqualified aversion to the Mormon doctrine of plural marriage: "There is but one principle by the leaders of any faction of this people that I hold in utter abhorrence; that is a principle taught by Brigham Young and those believing in him. " The doctrine was, of course, polygamy. But Smith also declared that his father, Joseph Smith, Jr., had never been involved in the practice. "I have been told that my father taught such doctrines. I have never believed it and never can believe it. " He added, "If such things were done, then I believe they never were done by divine authority. I believe my father was a good man, and a good man never could have promulgated such doctrines " ("Mormon " 1860, 103). No issue infuriated or drew his attention as did plural marriage — and especially charges of his father's role in its origination. Indeed, opposition to the practice became something of a cause celebre for Smith...
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This selective, annotated bibliography discusses those works judged to be most essential for researchers writing scholarly studies on the Space Shuttle's history. A thematic arrangement of material concerning the Space Shuttle will... more
This selective, annotated bibliography discusses those works judged to be most essential for researchers writing scholarly studies on the Space Shuttle's history. A thematic arrangement of material concerning the Space Shuttle will hopefully bring clarity and simplicity to such a complex subject. Subjects include the precursors of the Space Shuttle, its design and development, testing and evaluation, and operations. Other topics revolve around the Challenger accident and its aftermath, promotion of the Space Shuttle, science on the Space Shuttle, commercial uses, the Space Shuttle's military implications, its astronaut crew, the Space Shuttle and international relations, the management of the Space Shuttle Program, and juvenile literature. Along with a summary of the contents of each item, judgments have been made on the quality, originality, or importance of some of these publications. An index concludes this work.
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The documents selected for inclusion in this volume are presented in four major chapters, each covering a particular aspect of access to space and the manner in which it has developed over time. These chapters focus on the evolution... more
The documents selected for inclusion in this volume are presented in four major chapters, each covering a particular aspect of access to space and the manner in which it has developed over time. These chapters focus on the evolution toward the giant Saturn V rocket, the development of the Space Shuttle, space transportation commercialization, and future space transportation possibilities. Each chapter in this volume is introduced by an overview essay, prepared by individuals who are particularly well qualified to write on the topic. In the main, these essays are intended to introduce and complement the documents in the chapter and to place them, for the most part, in a chronological and substantive context. Each essay contains references to the documents in the chapter it introduces, and many also contain references to documents in other chapters of the collection. These introductory essays are the responsibility of their individual authors, and the views and conclusions contained t...
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Both Venus and Mars have captured the human imagination during the twentieth century as possible abodes of life. Venus had long enchanted humans-all the more so after astronomers realized it was shrouded in a mysterious cloak of clouds... more
Both Venus and Mars have captured the human imagination during the twentieth century as possible abodes of life. Venus had long enchanted humans-all the more so after astronomers realized it was shrouded in a mysterious cloak of clouds permanently hiding the surface from view. It was also the closest planet to Earth, with nearly the same size and surface gravity. These attributes brought myriad speculations about the nature of Venus, its climate, and the possibility of life existing there in some form. Mars also harbored interest as a place where life had or might still exist. Seasonal changes on Mars were interpreted as due to the possible spread and retreat of ice caps and lichen-like vegetation. A core element of this belief rested with the climatology of these two planets, as observed by astronomers, but these ideas were significantly altered, if not dashed during the space age. Missions to Venus and Mars revealed strikingly different worlds. The high temperatures and pressures ...
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There is no question that the American public has an unabashed appetite for history. This is demonstrated in numerous ways from bestsellers by popular historians to tourism at historic sites and museums to the popularity of films and... more
There is no question that the American public has an unabashed appetite for history. This is demonstrated in numerous ways from bestsellers by popular historians to tourism at historic sites and museums to the popularity of films and other media depicting versions of the past. Although historians might think that the discourse presented in most of these forums is simplistic and stilted, little doubt exists that it is passionate. This discussion explores a few of the issues affecting the public's deep fascination with the past, especially in the context of the history of science and technology, and the presentation of these issues in the Smithsonian Institution. These thoughts are tentative and speculative, but, I hope, stimulating and worthy of further consideration.
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Research Interests: History, American History, Gender Studies, Historical Archaeology, Masculinity Studies, and 15 moreContemporary History, Political Science, Industrial Archaeology, Caribbean History, Political History, Social History, Material Culture, Tea Party, Tourism, Plantation Archaeology, Historical Studies, New Jersey History, Military Sites Archaeology, Utopian Communities, and Monuments and Commemoration
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Abstract The United States has pioneered the use of nuclear power systems for outer planetary space probes since the 1970s. These systems have enabled the Viking landings to reach the surface of Mars and both Pioneers 10 and 11 and... more
Abstract The United States has pioneered the use of nuclear power systems for outer planetary space probes since the 1970s. These systems have enabled the Viking landings to reach the surface of Mars and both Pioneers 10 and 11 and Voyagers 1 and 2 to travel to the limits of the solar system. Although the American public has long been concerned about safety of these systems, in the 1980s a reaction to nuclear accidents – especially the Soviet Cosmos 954 spacecraft destruction and the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant accidents – heightened awareness about the hazards of nuclear power and every spacecraft launch since that time has been contested by opponents of nuclear energy. This has led to a debate over the appropriateness of the use of nuclear power systems for spacecraft. It has also refocused attention on the need for strict systems of control and rigorous checks and balances to assure safety. This essay describes the history of space radioisotope power systems, the struggles to ensure safe operations, and the political confrontation over whether or not to allow the launch the Galileo and Cassini space probes to the outer planets. Effectively, these efforts have led to the successful flights of 12 deep space planetary probes, two-thirds of them operated since the accidents of Cosmos 954, Three Mile Island, and Chernobyl.
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Lamoni, a small agricultural community in southern Iowa, was the only town ever founded by the Mormon sect known as the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. It was founded through a joint-stock company, and the... more
Lamoni, a small agricultural community in southern Iowa, was the only town ever founded by the Mormon sect known as the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. It was founded through a joint-stock company, and the settlement that would later become Lamoni began at the Reorganized Church's general conference in October 1869. For the remainder of the nineteenth century it remained the center of RLDS activities.
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Published in "Space Times: The Magazine of the American Astronautical Society" 56/4 (July-August 2017): 4-7
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Objective. Analyze NASA’s efforts to “sell” both its mission and its successes from its origins in 1958 to the present. Methods. Use public opinion polling and qualitative sources to establish change over time. Results. Study suggests... more
Objective. Analyze NASA’s efforts to “sell” both its mission and its successes from its origins in 1958 to the present. Methods. Use public opinion polling and qualitative sources to establish change over time. Results. Study suggests that NASA’s public support was less important than most have previously asserted, and that the overall activities of NASA have been advanced by a small base of supporters, challenged by a small group of opponents, and sustained by a larger number of people who accept a status quo in space exploration. Conclusion. A general public lack of support for expending many dollars on spaceflight has been a fundamental reality of NASA since its beginning. It is not changing, and probably not changeable, in the predictive future. Accordingly, NASA’s quest for human spaceflight’s popular appeal remains an elusive goal.
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From the perspective of nearly forty years, the Apollo program had enormous consequences, not all of them the usual ones that have been highlighted in the past. In this paper I shall discuss only a few: 1. The Apollo decision has been... more
From the perspective of nearly forty years, the Apollo program had enormous consequences, not all of them the usual ones that have been highlighted in the past. In this paper I shall discuss only a few:
1. The Apollo decision has been used as a model for public policy formulation. This is an important legacy of the program, but one that requires reconsideration.
2. Apollo transformed the space exploration effort underway at NASA put in place by the Eisenhower administration that would have led to lunar and planetary exploration in the decades of the 1970s and 1980s.
3. Apollo expanded enormously the size and shape of NASA as a government organization and set the agency at odds with other parts of the federal government, a disagreement that has not abated even in the twenty-first century.
4. Apollo established an unusual and difficult to meet set of expectations from the public when it came to NASA and space exploration.
5. Apollo left a questionable technological legacy, as most of its hardware was scrapped at the conclusion of the program in favor of an entirely different technological direction for later efforts.
While there are other aspects of Apollo that might be appropriately discussed, this essay represents an attempt to stimulate future research and discussion. It does not represent the final historical judgment on anything, and seeks only to be provocative of possibilities for further consideration.
1. The Apollo decision has been used as a model for public policy formulation. This is an important legacy of the program, but one that requires reconsideration.
2. Apollo transformed the space exploration effort underway at NASA put in place by the Eisenhower administration that would have led to lunar and planetary exploration in the decades of the 1970s and 1980s.
3. Apollo expanded enormously the size and shape of NASA as a government organization and set the agency at odds with other parts of the federal government, a disagreement that has not abated even in the twenty-first century.
4. Apollo established an unusual and difficult to meet set of expectations from the public when it came to NASA and space exploration.
5. Apollo left a questionable technological legacy, as most of its hardware was scrapped at the conclusion of the program in favor of an entirely different technological direction for later efforts.
While there are other aspects of Apollo that might be appropriately discussed, this essay represents an attempt to stimulate future research and discussion. It does not represent the final historical judgment on anything, and seeks only to be provocative of possibilities for further consideration.
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Virtually everyone would agree that the launch of Sputnik 1 on 4 October 1957, represented a major episode in the history of the Cold War, the 20th century, and the American century. A very specific master narrative about this event... more
Virtually everyone would agree that the launch of Sputnik 1 on 4 October 1957, represented a major episode in the history of the Cold War, the 20th century, and the American century. A very specific master narrative about this event quickly emerged and has dominated conceptions of the event through to the present. Essentially, it relates how the United States was surprised and shocked by the launch of a Soviet orbital satellite and its citizenry registered fear and a crisis mentality. The result, however, proved ultimately quite positive and in a twist that captures the essence of an overarching American exceptionalism the nation rose to the occasion by restructuring its space activities, establishing NASA, and reaching the Moon by 1969. Overcoming adversity, therefore, has been a central ingredient of the Sputnik master narrative. But does this master narrative adequately explain what took place during the Sputnik winter of 1957-1958 or is a revision to this story appropriate now 50 years after the fact? This essay explores the major elements of this story and suggests broader implications for the understanding of the history of spaceflight in the United States.
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Kansas City Athletics pitcher Vida Blue uttered this title's quote after resolving a season-opening salary dispute and holdout with A's owner Charles O. Finley in May 1972. 1 The holdout finally ended... more
Kansas City Athletics pitcher Vida Blue uttered this title's quote after resolving a season-opening salary dispute and holdout with A's owner Charles O. Finley in May 1972. 1 The holdout finally ended after Major League Baseball Commissioner Bowie Kuhn decided to mediate the ...
The 1910 Los Angeles airshow electrified the western United States. Reporters and boosters came from throughout the region. But they didn't want to just see an event in Southern California; they all wanted to sponsor their own airshows.... more
The 1910 Los Angeles airshow electrified the western United States. Reporters and boosters came from throughout the region. But they didn't want to just see an event in Southern California; they all wanted to sponsor their own airshows. As a result, the Los Angeles airshow, more than any other event of the era, awakened air awareness among westerners. The Los Angeles airshow was conceived as a publicity stunt by the Merchants' and Manufacturers' Association, a segment of the business community, as a chance to be the first in the West. In January 1910 the airplane was not yet seven years old, and most Americans knew about it only vicariously by reading the newspapers. Those that had firsthand knowledge were excited by the possibility of flight but were invariably frightened by the fragility of the aircraft and impatient from its seemingly endless mechanical problems.The organizers of the Los Angeles airshow played on the excitement and fear that aircraft held for the American public during the 10-20 January 1910 event. They believed that the activity would be good for Los Angeles but even they were surprised by the positive reaction.
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This essay explores the history and possible future for human/robotic space flight. One area where all space flight visionaries failed to make meaningful predictions was in the rapidly advancing capabilities of robotics and electronics.... more
This essay explores the history and possible future for human/robotic space flight. One area where all space flight visionaries failed to make meaningful predictions was in the rapidly advancing capabilities of robotics and electronics. For example, when Arthur C. Clarke envisioned geosynchronous telecommunications satellites in 1945 he believed that they would require humans working onboard. It is, therefore, easy to conceive of the motivation that led people like Clarke and Wernher von Braun to imagine the necessity to station large human crews in space. In this instance some of the most forward-thinking space flight advocates utterly failed to anticipate the electronics/digital revolution then just beginning. Humans, space flight visionaries always argued, were a critical element in the exploration of the solar system and ultimately beyond. Human destiny required our movement beyond this planet, ultimately to the colonization of the galaxy as a means of assuring the survival of the species. With the rapid advance of electronics in the 1960s, however, some began to question the role of humans in space exploration. It is much less expensive and risky to send robot explorers than to go ourselves. This debate reached saliency early on and became an important part of the space policy debate late in the twentieth century. The paper describes the history and an analysis of how we arrived at this point in human space flight, as well as the relative merits of human versus robotic space exploration. In essence, the old paradigm for human exploration—ultimately becoming an interstellar species—is outmoded and ready for replacement. This paper looks to the future of humans and robots in space, and suggests that it is conceivable that a post-human cyborg species may develop in a future extraterrestrial environment.
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Since the dawn of the space age more than fifty years ago, the United States has pursued a variety of methods for delivering electrical power to spacecraft in flight. Nuclear power systems are the only ones that have been found acceptable... more
Since the dawn of the space age more than fifty years ago, the United States has pursued a variety of methods for delivering electrical power to spacecraft in flight. Nuclear power systems are the only ones that have been found acceptable for deep space missions. While these technological systems made possible a myriad of accomplishments in space, especially the successful flights to the outer planets, the details of space nuclear power generation is virtually unknown to even the most knowledgeable observers. What is known, furthermore, is often limited to the often incomplete reporting of controversies over the propriety of using nuclear systems for space power. This talk traces the development of this technology from its origins in the 1960s to the present. It describes the evolution of the systems involved and the decision-making process whereby NASA chose to adopt one approach over another. Finally, it analyzes the public debate over the employment of these technologies for spaceflight going forward.
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This presentation is the same one that I offered to the National Research Council on the sweep of the history of the space age and prospects for the future. It discusses the origins of NASA, the structure of space exploration, and the... more
This presentation is the same one that I offered to the National Research Council on the sweep of the history of the space age and prospects for the future. It discusses the origins of NASA, the structure of space exploration, and the challenges presently in place as we transition from the Space Shuttle to a new launch vehicle for human flight.
In many respects, the history of U.S. competition and collaboration in space activities with the Soviet Union/Russia mirrors the larger story of how the United States has interrelated with this nation since the conclusion of World War... more
In many respects, the history of U.S. competition and collaboration in space activities with the Soviet Union/Russia mirrors the larger story of how the United States has interrelated with this nation since the conclusion of World War II. If one were to characterize it accurately throughout the last fifty-plus years, the undeniable conclusion is that both parties have enjoyed an uneasy relationship in which they have recognized that they were inextricably tied together in space activities. Starting of as a space race in the 1950s and 1960s, since then there has been ever increasing cooperation between these two superpowers. The current International Space Station is the key example of the expansion of this relationship, but additional initiatives in the future promise even more cooperation. This presentation traces this competitive-cooperative situation and points directions for possible future activities.