Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Politics and the Space Race

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
The Politics and Perils of Space Exploration

Part of the book series: Springer Praxis Books ((SPACEE))

  • 1464 Accesses

Abstract

Chapters 6, 7, and 8 examine the politics of outer space for three different time periods. This chapter looks at the Space Race and the Cold War. The story of the early rocket pioneers (Werhner von Braun, Sergei Korolev, and Robert Goddard) are woven together to examine how the Space Race was influenced by these brilliant scientists in the midst of international pressures. The story of the tense days of the Cold War is told with an eye on space travel. There is a focus on the American space program, the formulation of NASA, President Kennedy’s speech for landing on the moon, and the final lunar achievements.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 29.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    Gioia, Ted. [Internet]. Conceptualfiction.com; c2015. From the Earth to the Moon by Jules Verne; [cited 2015 Aug 28]. Available from: http://www.conceptualfiction.com/from_earth_to_moon.html

  2. 2.

    Howell, Elizabeth. [Internet]. Space.com; c2014. Rockets: a history; May 02, 2015 [cited 2015 Aug 28]. Available from: http://www.space.com/29295-rocket-history.html

  3. 3.

    NASA.gov. [Internet] NASA.gov; c2007. Robert Goddard: a man and his rocket; Mar 09, 2004 [cited 2015 Aug 28]. Available from: http://www.nasa.gov/missions/research/f_goddard.html

  4. 4.

    NASA.gov. [Internet] NASA.gov; c2007. Robert Goddard: a man and his rocket; Mar 09, 2004 [cited 2015 Aug 28]. Available from: http://www.nasa.gov/missions/research/f_goddard.html

  5. 5.

    NASA.gov. [Internet] NASA.gov; Mar 16, 2001 [cited 2015 Sep 01]. Available from: http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap010316.html

  6. 6.

    NASA.gov. [Internet] NASA.gov; c2007. Robert Goddard: a man and his rocket; Mar 09, 2004 [cited 2015 Aug 28]. Available from: http://www.nasa.gov/missions/research/f_goddard.html

  7. 7.

    NASA Fact Sheet. Goddard Space Flight Center. Robert H. Goddard: American rocket pioneer. FS-2001-03-017-GSFC. 2001.

  8. 8.

    Lehigh University. [Internet] ei.lehigh.edu; Robert Goddard; [cited 2015 Sep 01]. Available from: http://www.ei.lehigh.edu/learners/energy/readings/people_energy.pdf

  9. 9.

    MSFC History office. [Internet] NASA.gov; Recollections of childhood: early experiences in rocketry as told by Werner Von Braun 1963. [cited 2015 Sep 02]. Available from: http://history.msfc.nasa.gov/vonbraun/recollect-childhood.html

  10. 10.

    National Aviation Hall of Fame. [Internet] nationalaviation.org; c2011. Wernher Von Braun. [cited 2015 Sep 02]. Available from: http://www.nationalaviation.org/von-braun-wernher/

  11. 11.

    History.com Staff. [Internet] History.com; c2009. Germany conducts first successful V-2 rocket test; 2009 [cited 2015 Sep 02]. Available from: http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/germany-conducts-first-successful-v-2-rocket-test

  12. 12.

    Hollingham, Richard. [Internet] Bbc.com; c2014. V2: the Nazi rocket that launched the space age; Sep 8, 2014 [cited 2015 Sep 02]. Available from: http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20140905-the-nazis-space-age-rocket

  13. 13.

    National Aviation Hall of Fame. [Internet] nationalaviation.org; c2011. Wernher Von Braun. [cited 2015 Sep 02]. Available from: http://www.nationalaviation.org/von-braun-wernher/

  14. 14.

    National Aviation Hall of Fame. [Internet] nationalaviation.org; c2011. Wernher Von Braun. [cited 2015 Sep 02]. Available from: http://www.nationalaviation.org/von-braun-wernher/

  15. 15.

    National Aviation Hall of Fame. [Internet] nationalaviation.org; c2011. Wernher Von Braun. [cited 2015 Sep 02]. Available from: http://www.nationalaviation.org/von-braun-wernher/

  16. 16.

    Wilford, John N. Remembering when U.S. finally (and really) joined the space race. The New York Times. 29 Jan 2008.

  17. 17.

    History.com Staff. [Internet] History.com; c2010. Von Braun moves to NASA; 2010 [cited 2015 Sep 02]. Available from: http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/von-braun-moves-to-nasa

  18. 18.

    Historylearning.com Staff. [Internet] Historylearningsite.co.uk; c2015. 1945–1950; [cited 2015 Sep 05]. Available from: http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/modern-world-history-1918-to-1980/the-cold-war/1945-1950/

  19. 19.

    Kalic, Sean N. US presidents and the militarization of space, 1946–1967. College Station, TX: Texas A&M University Press; 2012. 224 p.

  20. 20.

    Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board, Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences. Forging the future of space science: the next 60 years. National Research Council; 2010. 166p.

  21. 21.

    Kalic, Sean N. US presidents and the militarization of space, 1946–1967. College Station, TX: Texas A&M University Press; 2012. 224 p.

  22. 22.

    Zak, Anatoly. Sep 2003. The rest of the rocket scientists. Air & Space Magazine.

  23. 23.

    Siddiqi, Asif A. [Internet] History.NASA.gov; c2015. Korolev, Sputnik, and the International Geophysical Year; [cited 2015 Sep 07]. Available from: http://history.nasa.gov/sputnik/siddiqi.html

  24. 24.

    Siddiqi, Asif A. [Internet] History.NASA.gov; c2015. Korolev, Sputnik, and the International Geophysical Year; [cited 2015 Sep 07]. Available from: http://history.nasa.gov/sputnik/siddiqi.html

  25. 25.

    Siddiqi, Asif A. [Internet] History.NASA.gov; c2015. Korolev, Sputnik, and the International Geophysical Year; [cited 2015 Sep 07]. Available from: http://history.nasa.gov/sputnik/siddiqi.html

  26. 26.

    Russian Space Web Staff. [Internet] History.NASA.gov; c2015. Korolev; [cited 2015 Sep 07]. Available from: http://www.russianspaceweb.com/korolev.html

  27. 27.

    Russian Space Web Staff. [Internet] History.NASA.gov; c2015. Korolev; [cited 2015 Sep 07]. Available from: http://www.russianspaceweb.com/korolev.html

  28. 28.

    Flashback to sputnik launch. 2007. Irish Times; 15.

  29. 29.

    Rodgers P. 2011. The man who fell to earth. The Independent on Sunday; 18.

  30. 30.

    Siddiqi, Asif A. [Internet] History.NASA.gov; c2015. Korolev, Sputnik, and the International Geophysical Year; [cited 2015 Sep 07]. Available from: http://history.nasa.gov/sputnik/siddiqi.html

  31. 31.

    Global Security Staff. [Internet] globalsecurity.org; c2015. 1955–1964—Kruschev; [cited 2015 Sep 08]. Available from: http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/russia/khrushchev.htm

  32. 32.

    Chalmers M. Roberts, Staff Reporter. 1957. Sputnik healthily destroyed some illusions. The Washington Post and Times Herald (1954–1959); 1.

  33. 33.

    Mieczkowski, Yanek. Eisenhower’s Sputnik moment: the race for space and world prestige. Ithaca, New York: Cornell University Press; 2013. 368p.

  34. 34.

    Coldwar Org Staff. [Internet] coldwar.org; c2015. Sputnik; [cited 2015 Sep 08]. Available from: http://www.coldwar.org/articles/50s/sputnik.asp

  35. 35.

    Planetary Staff. [Internet] planetary.org; c2015. Sputnik; [cited 2015 Sep 08]. Available from: http://www.planetary.org/explore/space-topics/space-missions/missions-to-the-moon.html#pioneerp3

  36. 36.

    Madrigal, Alexis. [Internet]. theatlantic.com; c2015. Moondoggle: the forgotten opposition to the Apollo program. Sep 12, 2012. The Atlantic—Technology. [cited 2015 Sep 09]. Available from: http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2012/09/moondoggle-the-forgotten-opposition-to-the-apollo-program/262254/

  37. 37.

    Au.af.mil Staff. [Internet] Au.af.mil; c2015. Eisenhower years: 1953–1960; [cited 2015 Sep 09]. Available from: http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/au-18/au18003c.htm

  38. 38.

    Sagdeev, Roald & Eisenhower, Susan. [Internet] NASA.gov; c2008; United States-Soviet space cooperation during the Cold War. [cited 2015 Sep 09]. Available from: http://www.nasa.gov/50th/50th_magazine/coldWarCoOp.html

  39. 39.

    Sagdeev, Roald & Eisenhower, Susan. [Internet] NASA.gov; c2008; United States-Soviet space cooperation during the Cold War. [cited 2015 Sep 09]. Available from: http://www.nasa.gov/50th/50th_magazine/coldWarCoOp.html

  40. 40.

    Braeunig, Robert. [Internet] Braeunig.us; c2011. Manned space flights; [cited 2015 Sep 09]. Available from: http://www.braeunig.us/space/manned.htm

  41. 41.

    NASA.gov. [Internet] NASA.gov; c2014. NASA—excerpt from the ‘special message to the congress on urgent national needs’; [cited 2015 Sep 09]. Available from: https://www.nasa.gov/vision/space/features/jfk_speech_text.html#.VfDorxFVhBc

  42. 42.

    Smolchenko, Anna. [Internet] phys.org; c2010. Russia marks 50 years since horrific space launch disaster; Oct 24, 2010; [cited 2015 Sep 09]. Available from: http://phys.org/news/2010-10-russia-years-space-disaster.html

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences, University of Washington, Tacoma, WA, USA

    Linda Dawson

Authors
  1. Linda Dawson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2017 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Dawson, L. (2017). Politics and the Space Race. In: The Politics and Perils of Space Exploration. Springer Praxis Books(). Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-38813-7_6

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation