Thande
Donor
More of a debate than a specific what if. If the Cold War was hotter than OTL (e.g. no detente period) or cooler (detente after Stalin during the Krushchev period, say) then how does that affect space stuff?
On the one hand, if the Cold War is less hot, then there's less of an incentive to space-race and try to beat the other guy through prestige, and less military investment in space stuff. On the other, a cooler Cold War means you can spend more cash on things other than the military, you can do more international cooperation because it's less vested in national pride (e.g. the Apollo-Soyuz project) and things may go at a more measured pace rather than rushing to win propaganda victories that you then don't follow up on.
So what are your thoughts?
Let's say we're trying for a spacewank, with the maximum possible investment and achievement in space in the period 1945-1990 (of course the USSR will not fall in 1990 in all timelines, but it's just an arbitrary period). What kind of Cold War, in your opinion, would be best for that?
On the one hand, if the Cold War is less hot, then there's less of an incentive to space-race and try to beat the other guy through prestige, and less military investment in space stuff. On the other, a cooler Cold War means you can spend more cash on things other than the military, you can do more international cooperation because it's less vested in national pride (e.g. the Apollo-Soyuz project) and things may go at a more measured pace rather than rushing to win propaganda victories that you then don't follow up on.
So what are your thoughts?
Let's say we're trying for a spacewank, with the maximum possible investment and achievement in space in the period 1945-1990 (of course the USSR will not fall in 1990 in all timelines, but it's just an arbitrary period). What kind of Cold War, in your opinion, would be best for that?