Motivations for Space Exploration Portrayed in 1950s-1960s Cinema

Popular cinema can often be used as an indicator of what subjects are prevalent in the public imagination. The sudden rise of films involving outer space in 1950 can be attributed to science fiction literature and magazines, made popular by authors such as Isaac Asimov, Arthur C. Clarke, and Robert A. Heinlein. In the summer of 1955, the United States announced its intention to launch an artificial satellite, quickly followed by the Soviet Union doing the same. The Space Race had officially begun, and these films took on a level of apparent credibility. Between Destination Moon (1950) and 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), films portrayed varying motivations behind space exploration, including political or military power, pursuit of knowledge, and the spirit of adventure. Examining the ways science fiction cinema from the 1950s and 1960s justified astronomical research alongside public response to the expanding space program demonstrates the reciprocal relationship between science and cinema that continues to this day.