Kory Schulte

Kory Schulte

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA

SPACE AS CULTURE: NEIL DEGRASSE TYSON’S ONE SMALL STEP FORWARD

AMIDST MANKIND’S GIANT LEAP BACKWARDS

INTRODUCTION, HISTORY & CONTEXT – 1

TYSON AS A CELEBRITY – 5 SPACE IS NOT A SPECIAL INTEREST – 8

SPACE AS CULTURE – 11 CONCLUSION – 13

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Introduction

Space exploration was at the forefront of world culture for decades. For the United

States, nothing has spurred as much innovation and economic prosperity as man’s momentous

march into the infinite, uncharted final frontier. However, by the mid-1970s, space exploration

had begun to fade out of the spotlight. It has remained shrouded in the darkness ever since,

only occasionally emerging from the shadows to shed light on major discoveries or upcoming

missions. Neil DeGrasse Tyson, like his predecessor Carl Sagan, recognizes that the decline of

space exploration’s popularity has tumultuous effects on culture, the economy, education, and

innovation. In his 2012 speech, “Space as Culture,” at the 28th National Space Symposium in

Colorado Springs, Colorado, Tyson presents a brief history of the space program and its impact

on virtually all aspects of humanity. He also attempts to inspire America to reclaim the

economic and cultural prosperity of the space age, and to rediscover all of the beauty and

wonder that the universe has to offer.

History and Context

The space age was born on October 4, 1957, when the Soviet Union launched the

artificial Earth satellite Sputnik 1 into space. Dwight D. Eisenhower, the President of the United

States at the time, certainly took notice. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration

(NASA) was founded less than a year later, on July 29, 1958. However, the US did not ramp up

its space exploration efforts until John F. Kennedy took over as the Commander-in-Chief in

1961. In 1962, Kennedy gave a speech at Rice Stadium in Houston, Texas, detailing the United

States’ ambitious plan to put a man on the moon by the end of the decade.

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Kennedy notes that mankind’s recorded history spans roughly 50,000 years, which is an

unfathomable amount of time for most people. In order to make his points more relatable, he

condenses that history to terms that everyone can understand: 50 years. He then explains that,

on this scale, man left the caves only ten years ago. The wheel and the ability to write came just

five years ago, and the Bible was written merely a couple years prior to his giving this speech

(Kennedy). On this scale, man harnessed electricity a month ago, and the television and nuclear

power were invented within the last week (Kennedy). Kennedy lays all this out because it is

important for his audience to know that innovation happens quickly, and space exploration is

no different. He states that in order for man to conquer space peacefully and fruitfully, the

United States must be at the forefront of its exploration (Kennedy). To achieve this goal, NASA’s

budget in 1962 tripled from 1961, up to 1.18% of the entire United States tax expenditure

(Rogers). Kennedy, in layman’s terms, acknowledged that fifty-cents per week per US citizen to

fund NASA may seem like a lot, but urged his audience to have faith because “we do not know

what benefits await us” (Kennedy).

Fortunately, it is now known exactly what benefits awaited the United States

immediately following the space race. In economic terms, the United States government spent

roughly $25 billion on civilian space research and development between 1959 and 1969. The

return on this investment was estimated at roughly $52 billion by 1970, and was expected to

grow to $181 billion by 1987 (Schnee). Kennedy was right to assume that people would

question the point of spending heavily on space exploration when there are issues on Earth that

need just as much attention. In his 1970 letter in response to a nun who wondered how the

United States could justify spending billions on space missions while millions of people are

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starving to death, NASA scientist Dr. Ernst Stuhlinger argued that the benefits of this funding

would ultimately lead to beneficial advances in science, as well as in medicine,

communications, and farming. These innovations, either directly or indirectly, resulting from

NASA sponsored research would lead to higher food production and better foreign relations

which would, in turn, provide even more relief to the starving and impoverished people of the

world (Stuhlinger). The benefits from space exploration may not always be immediately

noticeable, but their value will inevitably be revealed.

While Stuhlinger correctly envisioned some of the innovations stemming from space

exploration, he could never have predicted just how far-reaching and instrumental the spinoffs

of NASA technology would be in solving problems in society. For example, NASA developed the

charcoal water filtration system which greatly improved the quality of water that many people

drink. Additionally, space research led to vastly improved long-range telecommunication

satellites, shoe insoles that help take the stress off of feet and legs, cordless tools, invisible

braces for teeth, the scratch resistant plastic lenses in most peoples’ eyeglasses, a less intrusive

thermometer, and even memory foam mattresses (IBT).

Unfortunately, most people do not realize that these products, along with many others,

stemmed from NASA funded research and development for space exploration. As a result,

many citizens do not see NASA as an expenditure worth giving a high percentage of the tax

budget. The public’s passion for space exploration has declined since its peak in the 1960s and

1970s. In 1984, the number of Americans who believed space exploration was of utmost

importance was as low as ten-percent, although an additional twenty-percent stated it was

moderately important to them, according to Northern Illinois University professor of political

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science, Jon D. Miller. He refers to this phenomenon as “issue attentiveness” (Miller 3). Miller

states that an average citizen only has the capacity to focus his or her attention on a small

number of public affairs issues, thus limiting the amount of citizens who view space exploration

as a priority. “The plight of the modern citizen is to sample selectively from the enormous

volume of information available,” says Miller. One can imagine, then, the struggle that modern

scientists have had with motivating the common man, much less the government, to maintain

an interest in space exploration when the entirety of human knowledge is just a few keystrokes

and a left-click away.

Tyson certainly realizes that the attention of the American public is difficult to acquire

and even harder to hold, which is exactly why he decided to give his “Space as Culture” speech

in Colorado Springs. Tyson likely understood that the 28th National Space Symposium was he

and his peers’ best chance to affect space policy, especially because at the time of his speech

President Obama already had a plan in place to further cut NASA’s funding (Congressional

Digest 2011). Over 800 organizations and thirty different countries were represented at the

symposium. There were nearly double the number of “young space professionals” at the 2012

symposium than there were in previous years. Most important to Tyson, though, were the “top

policy analysts, administration insiders and scientists” (Hively). Among that group was the vice

commander of the Air Force Space Command, the head of NASA, and the director of the

National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. The presence of these officials denotes the

seriousness of the event, and it is precisely why Tyson chose the symposium to deliver his

persuasive address.

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Tyson as a Celebrity

It has been established why Tyson chose this particular event for his speech, but it is

equally important to figure out why the event organizers chose him as their keynote speaker.

Tyson was, and still is, one of the scientific community’s most prominent figures. He has

reached a rarely achieved status as a scientist-celebrity. In order to figure out why Tyson was

able to ascend to a higher level of fame than a majority his peers, one must first understand

how it is even possible for a scientist to become a celebrity. In The Visible Scientists (1977), Rae

Goodell noticed that, as early as the 1960s, hybrid scientist-celebrities were gaining popularity.

“She argued that these scientists, including astronomer Carl Sagan…used mass media to

influence public opinion and science policy, at a time when new communication technologies

were reshaping social and personal life, and the mass media was becoming a venue for the

public contestation of scientific issues” (Fahy 298).

Carl Sagan was the first truly famous astrophysicist, and was the host of the (hugely

popular) original Cosmos (1980) television series. Cosmos featured him explaining, in easily

understood terms, a variety of important scientific issues to the American people—all while

traveling through the universe on his Spaceship of the Imagination. Sagan’s contribution to

space as culture is important to note, as Tyson has just recently served as the host and captain

of the Spaceship of the Imagination for the (insanely popular) newly re-appropriated 2014

version of Cosmos. Cosmos is hardly the only source of Tyson in the media, though.

Tyson has been a guest on many popular televisions programs, including The Colbert

Report and Real Time with Bill Maher. He has even made appearances, as himself, on fictional

shows such as Stargate: Atlantis and The Big Bang Theory, which is one of the most popular

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shows on television (D. Thompson). Tyson is so distinguished that even characters who exist

only in a fictional universe still recognize him. He has also appeared on multiple radio programs,

and his podcast StarTalk Radio is routinely featured in iTunes most popular podcasts. Not

limited to vocalizing his thoughts, Tyson is also a master of the written word. He has penned

multiple books, one of which was a New York Times best seller.

Goodell states, in her definition of scientist-celebrities, that they all “shared five media-

focused characteristics: they had a hot topic, were controversial, were articulate, had a colorful

image, and had a credible reputation” (Fahy 298). Tyson fulfills every one of Goodell’s

requirements for celebrity scientists. Space exploration is certainly a hot, controversial topic.

Tyson is renowned for his ability to articulate his arguments, as well. His tone has been

described as a “high-pitched James Earl Jones” (Martel). Space Foundation CEO, Elliot Pulham,

takes the praise of Tyson’s eloquence even further: "Neil Tyson is the intergalactic space poet

laureate of our time," said Pulham. "He connects people to the universe with wit, humor and

genius that has proven irresistible to his millions of readers, viewers, students, lecture guests

and fans the world over" (Larimer). Pulham’s take on Tyson highlights another reason for his

immense popularity. Even with his elevated status, Tyson almost exclusively addresses his

audience as peers, not intellectual inferiors.

It would be an understatement to say that Tyson has a colorful image, and his

enthusiasm is a key component to his rhetoric (Johnson). In addition to his countless media

appearances, Tyson has been described as a “rock star astrophysicist” (Colombo), and as a

“space-savvy celebrity” (Martel). According to People Magazine, Tyson is not so hard on the

eyes, either. He was the magazine’s selection as the “Sexiest Astrophysicist Alive” in 2000

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(People). While that undeniably a great honor for Tyson, one has to wonder about the quality

of his competition. That, though, is a debate best left for another essay. Clearly, Tyson

unequivocally fulfills the first four qualifications of a scientist-celebrity.

Goodell’s final aspect, credibility, is the most important. Without credibility, the

“scientist” part of scientist-celebrity does not exist. In Tyson’s case, credibility is his strongest

suit. In fact, the only thing more impressive than his celebrity status are his academic

qualifications and scientific contributions. He is a world-renowned scientist, and his brilliance is

well-documented. Tyson has earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Physics from Harvard, a

Master of Arts in Astrophysics from the University of Texas, and a Master of Philosophy in

Astrophysics, as well as a Doctorate of Philosophy in Astrophysics from Columbia University. He

also has seventeen Honorary Doctorates from various universities. Tyson is the current Director

at the Hayden Planetarium in the American Museum of Natural History. His intelligence is

uncontested, and his status as a true scientist-celebrity is complete.

Tyson utilizes his prestige to bridge the gap between science and culture for a living,

thus making him uniquely qualified to give a speech titled “Space as Culture.” Less than a

month after his speech in Colorado Springs, Tyson was named one of Time Magazine’s “100

Most Influential People” (Johnson). In fact, he is so influential that, in 2013, he had 1.4 million

twitter followers (Colombo). That number has grown to 2.5 million at the time of this essay.

According to the website TwitterCounter, that makes Tyson the 860th most followed user in the

world, ahead of celebrities like President Bill Clinton, Larry King, The Beatles, and the official

account of Pretty Little Liars. Twitter states that there are currently over 280 million active

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accounts on its tremendously popular platform, which puts Tyson in the top .0003% of

popularity among all users (Twitter).

Space is not a Special Interest

Tyson, like Kennedy, Stuhlinger, and Sagan before him, repeatedly emphasizes that the

space program affects more than just the scientific community. He points out that even though

the economic and political implications of space exploration exist on a national level, only a few

political representatives make an effort to understand his message (Tyson 8). He notes that

space is not a partisan issue, since the states which host NASA’s centers for research and

development “typically flip back and forth between Republican and Democrat” (Tyson 5). Even

as the evidence of the benefits of space exploration continues to mount, the United States

government still refuses to deliver adequate funding to NASA despite its request for more.

A 2013 report released by the International Space Exploration Coordination Group

(ISECG) substantiates the value of space research and development. The ISECG report confirms

that space exploration has produced innovations which have dramatically improved “health and

medicine, transportation, public safety, consumer goods, energy and environment, information

technology, and industrial productivity” (ISECG 12). The United States government does not

seem to understand the incomparable effects that space has already had on society, culture, or

the economy. However, that is certainly not the case in other parts of the world.

Astrophysicists have long understood the benefits stemming from their research,

however those benefits have only recently been acknowledged by many governments. As a

result, the world space budget was $73 billion in 2012, up from $35 billion in 2000, despite the

United States’ decision to cut NASA’s budget (Rathi). Just as foreign competition was a concern

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for Kennedy, one can discern that this is a major cause for Tyson’s apprehension about the

potential for the United States to fall behind in the modern space race. His concern is certainly

not unfounded, as over seventy countries have invested in a space program (Rathi).

The societal advancements stemming from space exploration is precisely why many

developing or emerging countries are investing in space exploration. In fact, poorer countries

want space programs more than rich ones do (Rathi). Even though a high percentage of their

population is living in poverty, maturing governments are beginning realize the economic and

cultural growth potential which is born from space research. Ajey Lele, a Research Fellow at the

Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses in New Delhi, confirms that the benefits of space

exploration far outweigh the costs, as space exploration spurs progress and is a boon to the

economy and society (Lele). Developing countries invest in space programs “because it makes

economic sense, as technological and social development go hand in hand,” according to Ars

Technica reporter Akshat Rathi.

The evidence suggests that space exploration should be a top expenditure for any

government, but the United States budget sometimes operates outside the realm of reason. In

his speech, Tyson presents his qualms with the federal budget. Assuming he is including all the

money generated from space-related innovations and ventures, Tyson states that space “is a

$300 billion industry worldwide,” and NASA comprises “only a tiny percentage of that” (Tyson

3). Later, Tyson defines the underlying purpose of his speech: “Here’s what we do,” Tyson says,

“You double NASA’s budget. Right now it’s a half a penny on the (tax) dollar” (Tyson 30). He

condenses the scale of the US budget to one dollar because innumeracy is a legitimate

problem, and he wants every member of his audience to comprehend his message. In 1969, at

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the height of the space age, NASA’s funding reached its height at four-percent of the federal

budget. In 2012, NASA accounted for one-half of one-percent of United States tax expenditure

(Rogers), and there was no indication of a funding increase in the future.

According to Tyson, the government claims that it simply does not have any additional

funding for NASA (Tyson 2). Tyson openly blasts this argument for being “warped” and

unsubstantiated. He counters the government’s claim by juxtaposing the recent bailout of the

banks with the combined funding of NASA since its inception in 1959. Tyson explains, “The $850

billion bailout of the banks…that sum of money is greater than the entire 50 year running

budget of NASA” (Tyson 2). The federal budget has plenty of money, it is just openly declining

to spend it on the right programs.

One argument often made against providing NASA with additional funding is the money

that it has spent on canceled projects. A reasonable claim, to be sure, due to the estimated $20

billion which was given to canceled projects in the two-decades prior to Tyson’s speech (Elert).

That argument loses steam, though, when one compares it to the amount of money the

government wastes on military expenses. Between 2000 and 2012, the Department of Defense

poured $46 billion into canceled weapons projects (Elert). In comparison to NASA, the DOD

managed to devote more than twice as much money, in half the time, to its fruitless endeavors.

The space program was penalized for this. The military was not. In 2011, the United

States spent $711 billion dollars on military expenditures. At the time of Tyson’s speech, the

federal budget devoted more money to defense than the combined spending of the next twelve

highest military budgets in the world (Wichert). Most of those twelve countries are American

allies. Including the United States at 41%, those thirteen countries account for nearly 80% of

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worldwide military spending. In terms of total dollars, the American taxpayers provide the

United States defense budget with more than five-times the money that the world’s second-

most expensive military, China, spends each year (Frohlich and Kent). Defense funding

continues to dominate the budget despite the fact that more American citizens were killed by

severe weather in 2011 (which NASA’s research could help with) than by terrorists (Tornoe).

The funding is there, NASA is simply not receiving it. Space is not a special interest

group, it is a sector of society which innovates and advances nearly every aspect of humanity.

Though it cannot be directly attributed to the United States’ lack of commitment to the space

program, American high school students are less interested in science, technology, engineering,

and math (STEM fields) than ever before. In a 2013 survey, teenagers’ interest in STEM fields

dropped 15% in just one year (Elliot). Tyson rightly claims that NASA is a major stimulator of the

economy, but he also states that space exploration is a stimulator of inspiration for aspiring

scientists (Tyson 2). If recent trends are any indication, Tyson has a point.

Space as Culture

Tyson recalls that when people were excited about the space program, “(e)veryone was

dreaming about tomorrow….The kind of tomorrow that could only be brought into the present

by scientists and engineers” (Tyson 14). It was the scientists and engineers who were driving

the creative process and the popular movements of the culture at the time: “Out of that era

(the space age) an entire generation of people…they think, they feel, they intellectualize about

space” (Tyson 24). Tyson argues that society did not need science specials like Cosmos on

television to relate the usefulness of math and science “because the headlines that were writ

large in that era” conveyed the significance of the STEM subjects (Tyson 24).

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Science used to be prominent in all aspects of culture. As Tyson says, “our presence in

space is affecting not only the engineers and the mathematicians and the scientists,” it is

affecting everything (Tyson 17). Some of the world’s most enduring authors, such as Isaac

Asimov, H.G. Wells, Frank Herbert, and Douglas Adams, were influenced by space. The Twilight

Zone focused heavily on space themes, and became the space age’s defining television show.

The popularity of Star Trek exploded because of American’s interest in the universe (Tyson 17).

Doctor Who, which is currently the most successful science-fiction television show of all-time,

revolves around a character who traverses time and space (Lynch).

Space influences culture in more ways than television and literature. Tyson argues that

one particular photograph was a catalyst for sweeping cultural change. That image was

Earthrise over the Moon (1968). It was taken by Apollo 8, and was the first time that the entire

Earth had been photographed from space. From that point on, the globe was no longer color-

coded or designed by mapmakers; it was an exact replica of the Earth in its truest form (Tyson

20). He states that this picture broke down some of the borders that previously existed, and

people started “thinking of Earth as a whole” (Tyson 21). In the years following the Earthrise

over the Moon, entire movements were born. In particular, space exploration set in motion the

green movement (Tyson 20). In 1970, the Comprehensive Clean Air Act was passed and the

Environmental Protection Agency was founded. Earth Day was established, and DDT was

banned (Tyson 22). Tyson states that the Clean Water Act of 1971, the Endangered Species Act

of 1972, and even the introduction of unleaded gas in 1973 all connect to that era’s emphasis

on space (Tyson 23).

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Tyson says, “We went to the moon, and we discovered Earth…we discovered Earth for

the first time” (Tyson 19). Space exploration has the natural ability to connect people in a

myriad of ways. Society and space used to be linked through television, the arts, government

policies, and science. Even in “the bloodiest decade in American history since the Civil War,”

Tyson declares, “we were still able to dream about tomorrow. It was still in us, it still

mattered…it's affecting the creative dimension of that which we call culture. We are living it at

every turn” (Tyson 17).

Kennedy explained, at a cultural level, the importance of space exploration: “Many

years ago the great British explorer George Mallory, who was to die on Mount Everest, was

asked why did he want to climb it. He said, ‘Because it is there’” (Kennedy). It is a simple

reason, but it is the same reason the cavemen ventured out of the cave. The next frontier was

there, and mankind’s thirst to discover and to understand the unexplained and the unexplored

is innate and unquenchable. It is part of who we are, and by denying NASA the funding it needs,

the United States is denying its people their intrinsic right to discover, to hope, and to dream.

Conclusion

The universe is all around us. That is why “Space as Culture” is rhetorically significant.

Space influences popular culture, medicine, engineering, politics, economics, hopes, dreams,

and innovation. Tyson’s speech encapsulates a period in American history when society failed

to recognize the significance of space exploration. It remains to be seen if Tyson will achieve his

goal of doubling NASA’s budget and reinvigorating American interest in space. Regardless, his

speech in Colorado Springs will remain rhetorically relevant. It is an example of the persuasive

power of intelligent, purposeful storytelling. “Space as Culture” should serve as a model for

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future scientist-celebrities who need to convey complex information to common minds. Most

importantly, Tyson’s speech should be studied by any American who wants their culture to

focus more on innovation and connectivity instead of war and negativity.

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