Perspectives on the Apollo Program with Historian Roger Launius

A we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission it’s important to look back at the time of the Apollo program in the 60’s and early 70’s to better understand the motivations of the Apollo program and what was happening in the world at that time.

In this week’s SpaceQ podcast we’re featuring a Future in Space Operations teleconference with former NASA historian Roger Launius who spoke about his new book Apollo’s Legacy: Perspectives on the Moon Landings.

Dr. Roger Launius worked as a senior official at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., until retirement in 2017. Between 1990 and 2002 he served as chief historian of NASA.

This is how the publisher describes Launius’ new book:

In Apollo’s Legacy, space historian Roger D. Launius explores the many-faceted stories told about the meaning of the Apollo program and how it forever altered American society. The Apollo missions marked the first time human beings left Earth’s orbit and visited another world, and thus they loom large in our collective memory. Many have detailed the exciting events of the Apollo program, but Launius offers unique insight into its legacy as seen through multiple perspectives. He surveys a wide range of viewpoints and narratives, both positive and negative, surrounding the program. These include the argument that Apollo epitomizes American technological–and political–progress; technological and scientific advances garnered from the program; critiques from both sides of the political spectrum about the program’s expenses; and even conspiracy theories and denials of the program’s very existence. Throughout the book, Launius weaves in stories from important moments in Apollo’s history to draw readers into his analysis. Apollo’s Legacy is a must-read for space buffs interested in new angles on a beloved cultural moment and those seeking a historic perspective on the Apollo program.

Listen in.

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