The Soyuz-Apollo Project in Soviet (Russian) and American newspapers: content analysis

Abstract

This study examines the materials of the Soviet, Russian and American press devoted to the program of the first Soviet-American space cooperation "Soyuz–Apollo", implemented in July 1975. The display of the preparation, implementation of the project and the results of the flight is the subject of this study. The source base of the research is the periodical press, namely articles of the Soviet (Russian) newspapers Izvestia and Pravda and the American The New York Times, which are located on the EastView resource and on the website of the New York Times archive. In this study, a set of analytical methods and computer technologies was used, including the method of content analysis. The novelty of the study is related to the task of comparing the press coverage of the participating states of information about the preparation, implementation of the project and the results of the flight. The relevance of the research lies in the approbation of new research methods and approaches when working with large full-text databases, including in a foreign language. The study revealed four aspects of the reflection of the Soyuz-Apollo program in the analyzed newspapers: cooperation in space, the impact of the project on international relations, the impact of the program on the further development of the world manned cosmonautics, as well as the role of Soviet and American participants of the program in its successful implementation.