Spaceflight And The Myth Of Presidential Leadership
The presidential bully pulpit's limits vis-a-vis the US space program
Paper – $30
978-0-252-06632-0
Publication Date
Paperback: 08/01/1997
About the Book
The presidential bully pulpit's limits vis-a-vis the US space programNASA chief historian Roger D. Launius and Howard McCurdy reveal how the imperial presidency of the mid-1970s elicited relief in supporters of the space program, as they believed the new political landscape would help them obtain greater political support and funding.
From there, contributors explore topics like Eisenhower's reluctant embrace of the space program; the Kennedy decision to go to the moon; how the Johnson Administration navigated the politics of the Apollo program; the deceleration of the space program in the 1970s; the "Star Wars" era of Reagan and the first Bush presidencies; and national leadership and presidential power.
About the Author
Roger D. Launius is the former chief historian of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and an associate director at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum. His books include NACA to NASA to Now: The Frontiers of Air and Space in the American Century and Reaching for the Moon: A Short History of Space Race. Howard E. McCurdy is a professor emeritus in the Department of Public Administration and Policy. He is the author of Faster, Better, Cheaper: Low-Cost Innovation in the U.S. Space Program.Also by this author
Reviews
"Readers will immediately appreciate the impressive line-up of contributors to this volume. They include Fred Greenstein (with David Callahan) on Dwight D. Eisenhower and early space policy; Michael Beschloss on John F. Kennedy and the lunar project decision; Robert Dallek on the politics of the Apollo Program; Joan Hoff on Congress and the political context of space initiatives in the 1970s; Lyn Ragsdale on the George W. Bush and Ronald Reagan years; Robert Ferrell on international politics and negotiations; and John Logsdon, on national leadership and presidential power. Finally, editors Roger D. Launius and Howard E. McCurdy add knowledgeable commentary in their introduction and conclusion. . . . [The collection] sets the standard for future discussions of the space program."—Roger E. Bilstein, American Historical Review
"As a concise history of manned spaceflight it is useful for everyone interested in this intriguing web of politics, the presidency, and space policy."
—Andreas Richstein, Journal of American History
"Spaceflight and the Myth of Presidential Leadership merits more than a single, careful reading. Its contributors have drawn on a wealth of information from a wide variety of primary and secondary sources. Their conclusions offer readers a refreshing historical perspective on matters of vital importance to the future success of America's space policies and programs."
—Rick Sturdevant, The Public Historian
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