Episode 27: Space During the Cold War: The Strategic Defense Initiative

In 1983, US President Ronald Reagan announced the Strategic Defense Initiative, which became known as the ‘Star Wars’ programme. But was it really all about space? Dr Aaron Bateman, Assistant Professor of History and International Affairs at George Washington University (GWU) and member of the Space Policy Institute within the Elliott School of International Affairs at GWU, explains how thinking about space-based missile defence evolved and how earth observation capabilities played a role in the Cold War. He also touches on how space impacted US–UK relations during that time.