Space History

Abstract

SPACE HISTORY PAMELA E. MACK The changing role of the federal government in supporting techno­ logical innovation and scientific research after 1945 is an important topic for historians of technology and science. To date, the studies that have received the most attention have related to atomic energy in par­ ticular and military support for physics in general. The history ofspace programs is another key Held for the analysis of postwar science and technology. Space history is an especially promising research area be­ cause the interactions of government policy, public opinion, and scien­ tific and technological progress are so clearly visible in the development ofspace programs. Like military programs, space programs involve pol­ icy issues on the highestgovernmental levels and scienceand technology that are sometimes very innovative. However, the history of civilian space technology provides a particularly fruitful case study for histo­ rians oftechnology because space technology is shaped by a wider range of constituencies and expectations than is military technology.1 This review essay has two purposes: to discuss exemplary work in space history and to provide an introduction to the field. Because the field is very young, these two goals do not entirely overlap; many studies likely to be cited in a few years as exemplary are still in process.2 Many early studies were uncritical institutional history; to Dr. Mack teaches history of technology and science in the Department of History at Clemson University. She thanks John Mauer, Ronald Doel, David DeVorkin, Allan Needell, Michael Dennis, Robert Smith, Joseph Tatarewicz, Cathleen Lewis, Paul Peterson, and Michael Neufeld for criticism and suggestions. 'Military space programs are an important part of the story, but little has been written on them except by journalists because of the difficulties of dealing with classified sources. Fora historical introduction, see Clayton R. Koppes, “The Militarization of the American Space Program: An Historical Perspective,” Virginia Quarterly Review 60 (Winter 1984): 1-20. The most revealingjournalistic study is William E. Burrows, Deep Black: Space Espionage and National Security (New York: Random House, 1986). See also Jack Manno, Arming the Heavens: The Hidden Military Agendafor Space, 1945-1995 (New York: Dodd, Mead, 1984). As new material is declassified and historians can dig into some of the issues raised by journalists, we can expect a revolution in our understand­ ing of the early U.S. civilian space program. -It seems fairest in this essay to mention only works actually in print rather than risk uneven coverage of the many exciting studies in progress.© 1989 by the Society for the History of Technology. All rights reserved. 0040-165X/89/3003-0010$01.00 657 658 Pamela E. Mack date only a few works have explicitly tackled the most exciting themes. It is possible, however, to find a great deal of potential for future research in issues raised not only in those few exemplary works but also in studies by journalists and in the memoirs of participants. Although a wider net still needs to be cast, the literature in space history has gained diversity from a variety of approaches, emphasiz­ ing politics, economics, management, science, or technology. Political scientists in particular have made important contributions to our historical understanding of space programs, in some cases with an attention to detail and primary sources more typical of historians. However, historians and political scientists have both tended to focus on the development of the space program within the U.S. federal government. Historians need to explore other issues, such as the role of private industry, the cultural meaning of space exploration, and the space programs of other countries.3 For the purposes of history of technology, the most significant approach lies in an analysis of how space history contributes to our understanding of the interaction between government and science and technology in the postwar period.4 First, aspects of the U.S. space program can illuminate the political uses of science and technology and the process by which elected officials make decisions on scientific and technological programs. Particularly interesting are cases where space policy has been central to the broad policy goals of the president and Congress in the context of the Cold War. Second, space historians have done a great deal...