The Overlapping of Space Power Theory and the United States' Space Policies From the Formation of NASA to the Development of SDI, 1958-1983

Extended Essay

The Overlapping of Space Power Theory and the United States' Space Policies From the Formation of NASA to the Development of SDI, 1958-1983

To what extent does space power theory accurately explains U.S space policy from the formation of NASA to the development of SDI?

Extended Essay in History, Group 3

Word Count: 3959

Personal Code: gdc-878

May 2017

ABSTRACT

This essay assesses the extent to which the space power theory explains the United States’ space policies during the Cold War, in between the formation of
NASA to the development of SDI. In order to answer the research question: “To what extent does space power theory accurately explain U.S space policy from the formation of NASA to the development of SDI?”, the six tenets of space power from Oberg, space historian and journalist will be used to assess the U.S’ space policies. Oberg’s tenets will be linked to four U.S policies which will be assessed, and then compared to Oberg’s explanations of space power theory.

The essay is separated in three sections. There is the introduction, where the tenets of space power will be stated, the investigation, where four policies will be assessed in regards to one tenet, and the conclusion. The space policies analyzed in this investigation are NASA’s creation, Program Corona, Apollo 11 and the Strategic Defense Initiative. In each paragraphs of the investigation, the policy will first be explained, then its results addressed, and the assessment will be made. It has been determined that all four chosen policies were appropriately overlapping with their use of space power theory.

The conclusion states that space power theory does explain the U.S space policies, however, it is not completely accurate as space power theory only applies to a certain range of space policies. For example, it has been discovered that on some cases, such as the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project, the policy only corresponds partially to the tenet, as it did not benefit the country, since separate spacecraft were utilized. What’s more, the impossibility for me to link the third tenet to any policy could further demonstrates that space power theory only explains the most significant policies.

Word Count: 300

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1.0 Introduction …………………………………………………………………………...        3

1.1 Tenets of space power …………………………………………………………….        4

2.0 Investigation …………………………………………………………………………..        6

2.1 First use: NASA’s Creation ……………………………………………………….        6

2.2 Fourth Use: Program Corona …………………………………………………....        8

2.3 Fifth Use: Apollo 11 ……………………………………………………………….        10

2.4 Sixth Use: Strategic Defense Initiative ………………………………………....        14

3.0 Conclusion: ………………………………………………………………………….        16

4.0 Bibliography: …………………………………………………………………………….        20

1.0 Introduction

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Following the successful launch of Sputnik 1 by the soviets on October 4th, 1957, the americans were forced to improve their space program due to the fear that the soviet satellite propagated. Americans were now afraid of an imminent missile attack. The thought of the United States falling behind the russian’s missile technology was now recurrent. Even scientists and space enthusiasts were affected by the Sputnik Crisis. Erik Bergaust, editor of the Rockets and Missiles magazine, said “America is too far behind Russia to be able to match her in astronautics.”^[1] An article from the 8th of October, edition of the Constitution asked “how far behind are we and how long will it take to catch up?”.^[2] 

This new influence that the soviets acquired on the United States was a demonstration of space power. According to Jusell, United States air defense major, “Space power is the ability of a nation to exploit the space environment in pursuit of national goals and purposes and includes the entire astronautical capabilities of the nation”^[3]. Considering Sputnik 1’s launch, its huge success lead the Soviets to project their militaristic superiority, which resulted into commotion among the american nation. Following this new soviet standing, the United States had to begin a space race in order to show their own power. Now, the soviets could no longer be considered behind technologically, they catched up in four years america's atomic bomb and in nine months their hydrogen bomb. It is now the United States that needs to catch up to their satellite.^[4] Space was now a battlefield that both nations would use to show their technical superiority.^[5]

From NASA’s formation, in 1958, to the development of the Strategic Defense Initiative in 1983, the United States issued new policies that could potentially allow the nation to gain in influence. These policies seems to directly overlap with space power theory. As a matter of fact, in order for the United States to emerge as the leading player in space activities^[6] following the cold war, the country used methods that directly relates to the six tenets of space power that James Oberg, space historian and journalist, mentioned in his Space Power Theory novel.

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