Lunar Science & Back to the Moon: Technoculture(s) Of Lunar Exploration Since the Apollo Program

Seminar: Winter Semester 2023/24, University of Regensburg (DE)

EN

1 min read

We are going back to the moon, and this time, to stay. The media and public excitement surrounding a new Space Age have been ignited not only since the launch of Artemis 1, NASA's first mission in its new Moon exploration program, in November 2022. Non-western and commercial space missions like the Chinese Chang'e Program or SpaceX fuel the new Space Race. This development prompts a critical historical review. What significance does the old Space Age hold for our global societies? How does it differ internationally, and how has it changed since the last moon travel in 1972? The Lunar Sciences and its public presentation have changed significantly over the last 50 years. As a result, our understanding of the past and its value have evolved equally. In light of this, it is incumbent upon us as historians to elucidate these changes.

The seminar centers on specific lunar research and its portrayal within the museum setting. We examine museums not only in terms of their exhibits, collections, and displays but also in a broader sense, taking into account their staff, partnerships, collection management, and both print and online presence. Our inquiry extends to selected articles within the Encyclopedia of Lunar Science (B. CUDNIK 2020) and literature related to Space History and Astroculture. To analyze scientific papers and databases, we will employ diverse methodologies: glossing, skim-reading, abstract review, keyword and full-text searches, data mining, and the application of OpenAI's ChatGPT.

We will meet on a weekly basis alternating between in-person and online sessions. This approach is intended to acknowledge the substantial digital nature of the subject matter. In addition to the aforementioned sources, our exploration will encompass audio and video blogs, 3D animations, digital museum tours, and similar materials. At a suitable juncture, we plan to visit the space exhibition at the Deutsches Museum Munich and/or the Future Museum in Nuremberg.

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