About the Book
Exploring the impacts of NASA's
space program on American society and culture
After Apollo explores how
NASA's space program impacted American society during and after the race to the
Moon, looking back at the 1969 Apollo 11 Moon
landing from the perspective of the present day. Centering on the human
dimension of spaceflight, this multidisciplinary book contains chapters that
address the effects of the space race on science, politics, art, fashion, and
popular culture.
Several
essays cover themes that directly touch on the space program itself, such as
the sheer improbability of the Moon landing, the hidden chemistry behind human
spaceflight, and the critical role played by immigrants in making space
exploration a reality. Others consider societal repercussions, such as how immense space expenditures drew attention to
underfunded social programs and paved the way for Great Society social
legislation, as well as how cultural narratives of exploration and the frontier
evolved as the program's goals changed. Many of the authors look at the
interplay between art and space exploration, beginning with the role of popular
entertainment in selling spaceflight to the public.
Showcasing
the work of contributors representing diverse areas
of study,
After Apollo details the
many and varied human impacts and cultural spin-offs that came to pass as the mythology
and eventual reality of space travel permeated American society.
Contributors: J Bret Bennington Matthew H. Hersch Rodney F. Hill Rosanna
Perotti Chris Robinson Patricia Rossi Sabrina Sobel James Spiller
Allison Whitney Julie Wosk
