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Televising the Space Race in Francoist Spain: Sebastià Estradé and the “Friends of Outer Space” (1967-1969)

Gorostiza Langa, Santiago LU orcid (2024) In Host - Journal of History of Science and Technology (to appear in 2012) 18(2). p.33-53
Abstract
In the context of the space race, space science became an area of collaboration between the Spanish dictatorship and the United States of America during the 1960s. The Francoist regime leveraged its collaboration in the space race as an internal tool for political legitimization. This article examines the role of science popularization in this legitimization process by focusing on the TV show Amigos del Espacio (“Friends of Outer Space”), broadcast between 1967 and 1969 and aimed at young audiences. Specifically, it analyses the available episodes of the show and the trajectory of its scriptwriter, science writer and PhD in Law Sebastià Estradé (1923-2016). The article examines three key dimensions of Amigos del Espacio: the celebration of... (More)
In the context of the space race, space science became an area of collaboration between the Spanish dictatorship and the United States of America during the 1960s. The Francoist regime leveraged its collaboration in the space race as an internal tool for political legitimization. This article examines the role of science popularization in this legitimization process by focusing on the TV show Amigos del Espacio (“Friends of Outer Space”), broadcast between 1967 and 1969 and aimed at young audiences. Specifically, it analyses the available episodes of the show and the trajectory of its scriptwriter, science writer and PhD in Law Sebastià Estradé (1923-2016). The article examines three key dimensions of Amigos del Espacio: the celebration of Spanish science and technology; the portrayal of the relationship between Spain and the United States; and the program’s integration of Catholic faith with the popularization of space science. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Cold War, Franco’s dictatorship, Science popularization, dictatorship, space race, television
in
Host - Journal of History of Science and Technology (to appear in 2012)
volume
18
issue
2
pages
21 pages
publisher
Sciendo
external identifiers
  • scopus:85214404519
ISSN
1646-7752
DOI
10.2478/host-2024-0012
language
English
LU publication?
no
additional info
Publisher Copyright: © 2024 Santiago Gorostiza.
id
53f7839c-9b26-4c50-93aa-859a1540a55c
date added to LUP
2025-06-12 13:45:19
date last changed
2025-06-13 14:50:12
@article{53f7839c-9b26-4c50-93aa-859a1540a55c,
  abstract     = {{In the context of the space race, space science became an area of collaboration between the Spanish dictatorship and the United States of America during the 1960s. The Francoist regime leveraged its collaboration in the space race as an internal tool for political legitimization. This article examines the role of science popularization in this legitimization process by focusing on the TV show Amigos del Espacio (“Friends of Outer Space”), broadcast between 1967 and 1969 and aimed at young audiences. Specifically, it analyses the available episodes of the show and the trajectory of its scriptwriter, science writer and PhD in Law Sebastià Estradé (1923-2016). The article examines three key dimensions of Amigos del Espacio: the celebration of Spanish science and technology; the portrayal of the relationship between Spain and the United States; and the program’s integration of Catholic faith with the popularization of space science.}},
  author       = {{Gorostiza Langa, Santiago}},
  issn         = {{1646-7752}},
  keywords     = {{Cold War; Franco’s dictatorship; Science popularization; dictatorship; space race; television}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{12}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{33--53}},
  publisher    = {{Sciendo}},
  series       = {{Host - Journal of History of Science and Technology (to appear in 2012)}},
  title        = {{Televising the Space Race in Francoist Spain: Sebastià Estradé and the “Friends of Outer Space” (1967-1969)}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.2478/host-2024-0012}},
  doi          = {{10.2478/host-2024-0012}},
  volume       = {{18}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}