Space Exploration is All Politics
We explore space because we want to push the limits of what we know in the universe. We explore to expand humanity’s reach, to gain a foothold to eventually become a multi planetary species while learning why our planet alone has life, because it’s really all about understanding if we’re alone… right?
In an idealized world, maybe, but in reality, no. Space is all about politics.
Below is a rough transcript of this video that includes sources, with an additional list at the bottom of the page. Figure there are probably a few people, like me, who retain things more from reading than listening!
Chapter 1: Political Roots
In the mid 1950s, satellites and space exploration were largely fodder for science fiction. But a handful of international scientists knew the value that could be gained from bringing this technology into reality. In the United States and the Soviet Union, teams of scientists were working on launching satellites as part of the International Geophysical Year to study solar phenomena and their impact on the Earth’s…
