Retropedia - A look at style and design through time

The Space Age - Three, Two, One ... Lift-Off

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Feverish fads come and go, but few fascinations have taken hold of the American psyche with greater fervour than The Atomic Age ... surpassed perhaps only by The Space Age.

The Atomic Age, ushered in with unprecedented optimism and enthusiasm for all things atomic, eventually found itself on uneasy ground clouded by a preoccupation with the possibility of nuclear armageddon.

Enter The Space Age. What a timely and perfect distraction from The Fall-Out Shelter, fear of atomic annihilation and the imminent "Red Scare". How much more attractive an option ... to check out of this earthly doom and imagine riding a rocket into Outer Space.

On October 4, 1956, Sputnik successfully orbited the earth in 98.1 minutes. This momentous event ushered in what came to be known as The Space Age.

The lovely little Sputnik weighs in at 83 kg

On October 7, 1959 the Soviet spacecraft Luna 3 took the first photograph of "The Far Side of the Moon".

The United States was beaten to the punch by the Soviets and President Kennedy hit the accelerator full throttle. As U.S. policy had demonstrated time and again, the notion that "The Other Side" could possess something desired by America - set off all-American alarm bells. The Space Race was on. Once again, the Soviets won first place when Yuri Gagarin became the first Cosmonaut to travel in Outer Space. Oh, those Russians.

Yuri Gagarin orbits the earth on April 20, 1961

First Spaceship "Vostok" returns to Earth

Kennedy set the gears full throttle to advance America's space technology and to instil confidence in the public that the U.S. would lead the Space Race. A much-needed diversion from the Duck and Cover syndrome - the U.S. both stimulated and exploited the new enthusiasm for space travel.

And The Space Craze was born.

You name it - Outer Space revealed itself in all things earthly - Interior Design, Architecture, Fashion, Typography, Automobile Design, Television, Toys, Entertainment, Film, Cartoons, Advertising. The cosmic possibilities endless.

Get Ready for Lift-Off

Space Age Motifs

Characterized by all things Outer Space - domes, parabolas, satellites, rockets, comets and, of course, the moon.

Rocket Ship Bedtime

Modular Living

The Age of The Automobile

Come Fly Away ...

Half-Rocket ... Half-Car

The Airstream - Always Ahead of Its Time

STYLE that was OUT OF THIS WORLD

Ground Control to ........

Iconic Galactic Jane

Home Away From Home

Space Age Fashion Meets Op-Art (another blog)

Which came first? The Mini or The Space Age

And then came "Twister"

Space Travel Sells - Advertising

"The Moon - A cleaner place to live"

Robot Rage

I, Robot and I, Creepy Kid

From Pencil to Missile

TELEVISION

Fascination with Space Travel took television by storm. The Jetsons, Lost in Space, Raumpatrouille Orion (Germany), Life in Outer Space, Rocket Ship 7 and Commander Tom. And the infusion of melodrama in Space TV virtually normalized the notion that these people were floating around in Space.

The Shape of Things to Come

Honourable Mention - The Picture Phone

(way ahead of its time)

TELEVISION GOES INTO ORBIT

Fascination with Space Travel took television by storm. The Jetsons, Lost in Space, German show, Life in Outer Space became virtually normalized in drama in shows like

You Silly Robot

Outer Galactic Oz ?

Rocket Ship 7

Commander Tom

Outer Space is Serious Stuff

In Germany - Raumpatrouille Orion with Eva Pflug

"I just gotta get outta this place."

Even Tin Tin Goes To the Moon

"Meet George Jetson ... his wife, Jane ..."

Spirit In The Sky

WARNING - Don't Get Lost

In America - all fascinations can become frightening.

Land of the Giants 1968-1970 (Set in Future Year 1983)

The Time Tunnel 1966-67

Space Age Decor

Lunar Inspiration

Lunar Eclipse

Maurice Ascalon Ashtray

Today the Moon. Tomorrow The Rings of Saturn

Extraordinarily Orbital Lighting

BACK IN THE USSR

Soviet Matchbox Design

A Night out at the Movies

Zsa Zsa - From Hungary to Outer Space via Hollywood

Hello Down There - The Spaceship in the Sea

America Scares Itself Silly

Because let's face it, if WE can find them ... THEY can find us.

It seems it was all fun and lunar lunacy until it dawned on the U.S. that The Unknown hold a surprise or two for we mere Earthlings. Duck and Cover is replaced by Martian Hysteria.