In this episode of our series on science fiction and futurism, Aaron and Jorge are joined by Fred Scharmen (@sevensixfive) for a discussion about his book Space Forces: A Critical History of Life in Outer Space. Fred teaches Architecture and Urban Design at Morgan State University’s School of Architecture and Planning. We discuss what exactly was Russian Cosmism and how did this inspire the Soviet Union's quest to explore the stars? How did Wernher von Braun's Nazi past inform how Americans conceptualize space exploration? How did the military and Disney help sanitize the image of a Nazi SS officer to the American public? Who was Jesse Strickland and why has he become yet another "hidden figure" of space exploration? How are Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos fundamentally different in their approach to space exploration? Is space exploration fundamentally colonialist? Tune in to this episode of about what may have been and what can still be.

Get the book from Verso: Space Forces

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