Marketing Space, Part 3. How Space Became a Tool of Propaganda

The first significant Soviet achievements in space, the launch of “Sputnik-1” and sending the first human into orbit, took place at the height of the Cold War. This was also a time of active rivalry with the American Apollo program: the Soviet Union and the United States each sought to impress the other with their technological superiority and boasted of their respective successes in space exploration. As part of this “space race,” the Soviet Union turned its space program into an unparalleled tool of ideological propaganda. But the US has its own arguments on it.

Today, we continue our series of publications on space marketing, this time dedicating an article to exploring the USA and USSR’s PR efforts from the late 1950s to the late 1960s. We will see how space was used as a symbol of the power of its own political system, helping to create an image of a country that could not only conquer the stars but also lead the world forward into a “radiant future.”

Background

The space race was a unique moment in the history of humankind, with great technological achievements in space exploration coinciding with the geopolitical and ideological confrontation between American capitalism and Soviet communism. As part of this battle, the Soviet Union hoped to use its success in space to promote communist ideology. The launch of “Sputnik-1” on October 4, 1957, was a stunning success, placing the world’s first artificial satellite into orbit, from where it transmitted signals back to Earth for three months. 

Four years later, on April 12, 1961, Yuri Gagarin flew to space, marking one of the most pivotal events in human history. By 1969, however, the Americans had made a counter-move: the Apollo 11 mission landed three astronauts on the Moon, allowing the U.S. to reclaim its status as the leading technological superpower. 

Although this event marked a triumph in the space race for NASA and the United States, Moscow had its own reasons to be proud: achievements like the first image of the far side of the Moon, the first man and the first woman in space, the first lunar rover, and the construction of the first space station, all reflected the Soviet Union’s immense technological capabilities.

According to a memo from KGB head Vladimir Semichastny, titled “On the Attitudes of G. K. Zhukov,” Yuri Gagarin’s journey into space alone cost 4 billion rubles, and the USSR’s total expenditures on various space projects between 1955 and 1964 amounted to nearly 120 billion rubles. On average, spending on the space sector accounted for 0.2-0.37% of the Soviet state’s total budget, peaking in 1956.

Space advertising as Soviet propaganda

Such expenditures were not for nothing. The Soviet Union actively used the space race to showcase the supposed superiority of the socialist system. This politicization of space exploration reached incredible proportions and Soviet achievements in space served as “proof” of the advantages of socialism. 

This propaganda was primarily directed at a domestic audience and the countries of the socialist bloc. However, international audiences were also targeted. For example, a special poster was printed in English, featuring an image of the “Vostok-1” spacecraft and a caption inviting tourists to visit the USSR, the homeland of the world’s first cosmonaut:

Another example, postage stamps from North Korea and Vietnam featured Valentina Tereshkova and Yuri Gagarin, the first cosmonaut and the first female cosmonaut respectively:

A genuine “space fever” began to grip the Soviet public in April 1961, and this was immediately reflected in printed publications. Since television advertising was only introduced to Soviet citizens in 1964, printed periodicals and posters were the main outlet for this kind of material.

Krokodil vividly played around with the space theme, experimenting with new images and associations. The October 1964 issue, for example, featured a cover in which the artist, I. Semenov, depicted a crew of cosmonauts as legendary folk heroes (bogatyrs).

The ideological context of the period permeated everything and space became a crucial element of Soviet visual propaganda. Imagery associated with space served as a backdrop, amplifying the ideological weight of concepts like progress, socialism, and communism in the minds of the masses.

Space was also used to support Soviet official atheism. Gagarin’s flight coincided with an active phase of the state’s anti-religious campaign, and at the time it was common to hear the phrase, “Gagarin flew into space, but he didn’t see God there.” This message mirrored lines from a poem by Vladimir Mayakovsky long before Gagarin’s historic flight: “We’ve inspected the sky inside and outside. No gods or angels were found.”

The idea of space exploration in Soviet printed propaganda touched upon virtually every aspect of Soviet life, imbuing individuals with special qualities, shaping and reinforcing a communist worldview, and linking it with the state’s technological achievements. 

Pragmatic advertising of space in the USA

In contrast to the USSR, space as a theme for advertising in the USA was mostly used pragmatically: for advertising goods and services, recruiting and motivating young people to science.

Thus, a 1960s poster from the US Air Force calling for young men to serve depicts a rocket and speaks of the beginning of the “Space Age”:

In the mid-1960s, the most difficult time of the space race, technical majors and the attractiveness of a scientific career were advertised in the United States. Below is an ad in a magazine from the California Institute of Technology with a list of required majors:

After the successful landing of the astronauts of the Apollo 11 mission on the Moon, the number of patriotic materials on the theme of space in the United States increased significantly. For example, a poster from NASA about the indisputable quality of American technology depicted the landing of the Eagle module on the Moon. Astronaut Joe Engle, who was part of the backup crew of the Apollo 10 mission, urges NASA employees to do more in this poster.

Another example of the use of the Eagle landing on the moon, in patriotic tones, with thanks to the citizens of the United States for their contribution is indicated.

When posters are not enough

Only printed products were not enough for such large-scale campaigns launched by the USSR and the USA, even more vivid techniques were needed to prove cosmic power. One method was the establishment of the “Cosmos” pavilion at the Exhibition of Achievements of National Economy (VDNKh) in Moscow, which occupied several thousand square meters. Here, models of aircraft, satellites, computer technology, and the clothing worn by cosmonauts were all on display. There were also attractions simulating rocket flights, allowing the public to experience something of what it felt like to be a cosmonaut.

This is what the exhibition itself looked like:

At the same time, museums of space glory were opened in the USA. Back in 1967, the Kennedy Space Center Complex (Florida) was opened to visitors, it was one of the first sites dedicated to the demonstration of NASA’s space programs.

In 1970, the US Space Rocket Center was opened in Huntsville, Alabama. It highlights US achievements in rocket technology and space exploration, including the Apollo and Space Shuttle programs.

How the USSR covered the American Moon landing

Until July 1969, the successes of the U.S. space program were barely covered in Soviet media. There were only two cases that would warrant a mention of American astronauts or the American space program in general. The first was when the achievements of the USSR could be contrasted with those of the Americans, and the second was when the U.S. experienced failures. 

In “Krokodil,” satire came in the form of caricatures about the American space program. In these “friendly” cartoons, the Soviet Union’s geopolitical opponent was typically depicted in an unflattering light.

There was also plenty of reason to make fun of the Americans when they experienced failures. On December 6, 1957, for example, an American satellite fell back to the launch pad just a few seconds after liftoff, prompting a round of mockery in the Soviet press.

But even the Soviet Union could not ignore the moment when a human first set foot on the Moon. Nevertheless, the TASS news agency reported the historic launch of the Apollo 11 mission quite dryly. A day later, the newspaper Pravda published an article about the mission’s composition and its objectives. At the end of the article, however, it discussed the Soviet Union’s own achievements using the words of the American astronaut Frank Borman, who had recently visited the USSR: 

“The results achieved by the Russians played a significant role,” said [Borman]. “I mean the work of Tsiolkovsky and other Soviet scientists, the launch of the first artificial Earth satellite, the first space flight of Yu. A. Gagarin, the first spacewalk by Soviet cosmonaut A. A. Leonov, and other accomplishments…”

By July 20, however, TASS had little choice but to publish news of the successful American Moon landing:

The evening broadcast of the “Vremya” program on July 21, 1969, even showed a short clip of Neil Armstrong stepping onto the surface of the Moon. However, not long after the news of the successful completion of the Apollo 11 mission, the tenor of Soviet media changed. On July 24, Pravda published an article titled “In Space and on Earth,” in which the authors emphasized America’s numerous domestic problems, including racial unrest. Three days later, the same publication featured an article called “Joy and Bitterness,” which focused on the internal turmoil experienced by Neil Armstrong, who allegedly felt no joy about landing on the Moon and was more concerned about America’s earthly problems.

Space-themed collectibles

Postcards, stamps, badges, and matchbox covers were not only regularly used in daily life—they were also collectible items that reflected the spirit of the times. 

In the Soviet Union, postcards were printed by the millions, and people typically bought them in bundles of two or three dozen. Postcards carrying propaganda and other political messages, which began to be produced in the late 1920s, were not just a means of communication: they often served the same didactic purposes as propaganda posters. 

Soviet space triumphs were highlighted on postcards, which also retained their congratulatory nature. Here is what a typical postcard dedicated to the New Year of 1957 looked like:

Many printed materials from that time also had a commemorative nature. For example, this postcard featuring Yuri Gagarin and Gherman Titov was issued to mark the anniversary of the “Vostok-2” mission, on which Titov flew.

The flight of the first cosmonaut also opened up new perspectives on the world and space, which were reflected in the design of postcards.

Space remained a prominent theme on postcards for several decades, especially for New Year’s cards. Now, alongside Father Frost, cosmonauts in helmets (of course bearing the inscription “USSR”) would visit children, and rockets appeared on postcards just as frequently as Christmas trees.

The story is similar with postage stamps, which served as tiny documents of every significant achievement of the Soviet space program. 

Match manufacturers also joined in: matchboxes often featured space-themed images, including Konstantin Tsiolkovsky, the dogs Belka and Strelka (the first animals in space), and, of course, Yuri Gagarin.

Other newsworthy events were also featured, including the launch of the world’s first automatic space station, “Venera-1.”

The USA also produced many products dedicated to space and, in particular, the Apollo program. Yes, the toys of that time, dedicated to the flight to the moon, looked quite interesting. Perhaps it was precisely because of the secrecy of the technical details of the mission that the toy manufacturer came up with this design:

This is a wallet for coins, which depicts an American astronaut:

Of course, the USA also had its postage stamps dedicated to various outstanding events in the history of space exploration.

Conclusion

Soviet propaganda during the space race appears to have been more effective, deliberate, and extensive than the American approach. The USSR used its achievements in space as a powerful tool for reinforcing its ideology, creating images of hero-cosmonauts, and shaping the collective consciousness of its citizens. Posters, postcards, and magazines aggressively promoted socialist ideas and touted Soviet technological superiority inside the country. 

Although the United States was the first to land a man on the Moon, American space propaganda was less pervasive in everyday life and did not always evoke the same emotional response among Americans. This was perhaps due in part to the country’s freer press, which allowed discussion of the country’s internal problems, rather than strictly focusing on state-approved messages. Furthermore, while American propaganda efforts often focused on the space program’s scientific aspects, Soviet propaganda primarily used the space race to reinforce a uniform ideological narrative.