Remembering the Space Age. - Black Vault Radio Network (BVRN)

aMerICaN SpaCefLIght hIStory’S MaSter NarratIve
aND the MeaNINg of MeMory
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initiative of a Democratic president; the period since has been dominated by
a republican political consensus that has become increasingly conservative.
that criticism then took on the added favor of enthusiasm for private sector
space activities instead of large government eforts. Core questions plaguing
space policy since the 1950s have revolved around the role of the government
versus the private sector in facilitating space exploration. Should all activities
be undertaken by the federal government? Should there be some type of
public/private partnership put into place to accomplish these tasks? Should the
government leave these activities entirely to private companies, involving itself
only insofar as required to assure safety of its citizens? Should some entirely
diferent model be employed to ensure space exploration? If the macroeconomic
studies sponsored by NaSa were an indication, the returns on investment in
space research and development were astounding. the Midwestern research
Institute (MrI) study of 1971 determined that NaSa r&D provided an overall
7:1 return. essentially, for every dollar spent on r&D, seven dollars were returned
to the gDp. MrI refned its study in 1988, calculating this time an even higher
9:1 return on investment. Chase econometrics performed a more sophisticated
study in 1975 that reported a whopping 14:1 return on investment. 52 If this was
true, said the conservative critique of spacefight, should not the private sector
pursue this objective free from government interference.
the reagan administration of the 1980s certainly thought so and
proceeded to privatize spacefight. at reagan’s behest Congress passed the
Commercial Space Launch act of 1984 that ensconced in law the desire to
open space access to private sector providers. 53 there followed a series of moves
intended to create a commercial space capability while reducing government
funding for space exploration. 54 Increasingly since the reagan era spacefight
has become increasingly private, in no small measure the result of eforts to
reduce the role of the federal government.
Many examples exist. beginning in the mid-1990s, several start-up
companies were organized to undertake new space initiatives. Indeed, 1996
marked something of a milestone in the history of spacefight as worldwide
52. “economic Impact of Stimulated technological activity,” final report, Midwest research
Institute, october 15, 1971, Contract No. NaSW-2030; Michael K. evans, “the economic
Impact of NaSa r&D Spending,” Chase econometric associates, Inc., bala Cynwyd,
pa, april 1976; “economic Impact and technological progress of NaSa research and
Development expenditures,” Midwest research Institute, Kansas City, Mo, for the National
academy of public administration, September 20, 1988; bDM, “economic return on
technology Investments Study: final report,” September 30, 1994.
53. “Commercial Space Launch act of 1984, public Law 98-575,” in John M. Logsdon, gen. ed.,
Exploring the Unknown: Selected Documents in the History of the U.S. Civil Space Program,Volume IV,
Accessing Space (Washington, DC: NaSa Sp-4407, 1999), pp. 431-440.
54. Space Launch policy Working group, “report on Commercialization of u.S. expendable
Launch vehicles,”april 13, 1983, p. 3, NaSa historical reference Collection.