NASA's public outreach and selling space 1958-2000 : success or failure?, 2006

Item — Call Number: MU Thesis Smi

Identifier: b2088313

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

From the Collection:

The collection consists of theses written by students enrolled in the Monmouth University graduate History program. The holdings are bound print documents that were submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements for the Master of Arts degree.

From the Collection:

During the fall 2022 semester (in instances where the requisite waivers were received from consenting student authors), the Monmouth University Library, together with the University's Graduate School and Wayne D. McMurray School of Humanities and Social Sciences, began providing open access to select full-text digital versions of current theses and dissertations through links to the ProQuest Dissertations Publishing website in the Library's Online Public Access Catalog. Links to these open access digital publications can also be found in the "External Documents" section under any conforming titles that are listed among the holdings itemized in the collection inventory for this finding aid.

Dates

Creation: 2006

Creator

Smith-Winnes, Derek D. (1954- ) (Author, Person)
Veit, Richard F. (1968- ) (Thesis advisor, Person)
DeRosa, Christopher S. (Thesis advisor, Person)

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research use. Access is by appointment only.

Access to the collection is confined to the Monmouth University Library and is subject to patron policies approved by the Monmouth University Library.

Collection holdings may not be borrowed through interlibrary loan.

Research appointments are scheduled by the Monmouth University Library Archives Collections Manager (723-923-4526). A minimum of three days advance notice is required to arrange a research appointment for access to the collection.

Patrons must complete a Researcher Registration Form and provide appropriate identification to gain access to the collection holdings. Copies of these documents will be kept on file at the Monmouth University Library.

Extent

1 Items (print book) : 160 pages ; 8.5 x 11.0 inches (28 cm).

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Introduction [excerpt]

[T]he level of importance Americans [have] attached to space related activities has traditionally been low compared to other national priorities.

It is the purpose of this thesis to examine this four decade old condition and attempt to answer questions related to its existence. What did NASA do to encourage public support and understanding of the space program? What was the content of the message they transmitted? What channels and methods of communication did they utilize? What challenges did they face to successful communication? Where did public outreach succeed or fail? Did NASA educate per se or just inform the public? And finally, after over forty five years of existence, why is support for the program 'soft' at best?

Evidence will be presented indicating that NASA exerted considerable effort in fulfilling its mandate for disseminating information about its activities and findings. Analysis will show outreach methods and activities were fundamenetally flawed and this impeded the accurate and successful transmission of NASA's intended message. This and other significant obstacles, both within and outside the agency's control, blocked any chance of achieving strong public support for the civil space program.

Partial Contents

Acknowledgements -- Introduction -- Methods -- 1. From vision to reality -- 2. Challenges to building public support -- 3. Methods of public outreach -- 4. The state of public support -- 5. Why the message was lost -- Bibiiography.