Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and Science Space Policy Edition: Does the rise of Elon mean the decline of NASA?
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Sep 5, 2025 Franklin Foer, a Staff Writer at The Atlantic and author of 'How NASA Engineered Its Own Decline', explores the shifting landscape of space exploration. He argues that NASA's reliance on SpaceX signifies a worrying decline in national capability. The conversation dives into the clash between individualism and collectivism in American society, the changing identity of NASA, and critiques of Musk’s commercial philosophies. Foer emphasizes the cultural significance of space exploration and the romantic ideals once associated with it.
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NASA Is Two Different Agencies
- NASA contains two distinct stories: human spaceflight and science/robotics, which operate under different dynamics.
- The science side continues to produce world-class knowledge even as human spaceflight sputters politically.
Space Taps National Frontier Myths
- Space resonates with Americans because exploration and frontier myths are baked into national identity.
- Kennedy tapped that frontier narrative to recapture national vitality and optimism.
Apollo As Technocratic Liberalism
- Apollo embodied technocratic liberalism and collective investment in knowledge across fields.
- That era's broad faith in government-funded expansion of knowledge has since waned.
