vicarious exploration, apollo imagery, and the communication of american culture
- Paper number
IAC-08.E5.I.14
- Author
Dr. Roger D. Launius, Smithsonian Institution, United States
- Year
2008
- Abstract
For all but a handful of American astronauts the voyages of exploration to the Moon during Project Apollo were events participated in vicariously from more than 240,000 miles by the more than 6 billion humans living on Earth. In the context of the Moon landings six images have taken on iconic connotations in the more than 35 years since the last mission. These are: 1. Apollo/Saturn V launch, Apollo 11; 2. Astronaut saluting the American flag on the lunar surface, Apollo 11; 3. Buzz Aldrin full image from Apollo 11; 4. Footprint on the Moon, Apollo 11; 5. Earthrise, Apollo 8; 6. Whole Earth, Apollo 17. These images are replicated in many places and used in numerous striking ways. For example, a rendition of the astronaut saluting the flag was used as a logo for MTV for many years. This paper will assess the power of the Apollo imagery in modern society and using visual culture theory seek to unpack and analyze its place in history. It will seek to discover the significance of these visual objects as objects used by myriad peoples over the time since the Moon landings to depict a myriad of cultural meanings. Much of the paper will be dedicated to examining the expansive manner in which these images played a role in the development of a global culture with the United States claiming status as its central catalyst.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
IAC-08.E5.I.14.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).
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