Who Supports Government Space Programs?

After quoting from a speech where a Republican presidential candidate praises the space program, Mark Palko writes : I [Palko] don't know what the reaction of the crowd was (the reporting wasn't that detailed) but I'd imagine it was friendly. You can usually get a warm response from a …

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Written by Andrew Gelman on Monday January 2, 2012

The Man Who Beat America to Space

50 years ago today, Yuri Gagarin became the first man to journey to outer space. After his return to earth, the Soviets turned him into a potent propaganda symbol. 50 years ago today, Moscow state radio announced that Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin was the first man to journey into outer space. But his …

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Written by Robin Tim Weis on Tuesday April 12, 2011

NASA Budget Grounds Space Probes

Robotic space exploration accounts for a tiny portion of NASA and the federal government's budgets. Yet, despite their merits these programs face deep cuts. For decades, there was debate among space exploration proponents about the relative merits of manned versus unmanned missions. Enthusiasts …

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Written by Kenneth Silber on Thursday March 10, 2011