The classical era of the American space program has come to an end. After a quarter century in which peaceful and scientific activities played the major role, the space program is veering toward domination by the military. The Reagan administration has given added impetus to this development in two important ways: it has drastically shifted resources from the civilian, scientific side to the military; and it has championed combat capability in space. Planetary missions have become endangered species. But in carrying out this landmark shift, the Reagan administration was able to build on the foundation afforded by crucial decisions in the civilian space program—specifically, John F. Kennedy's impetuous decision to send a man to the moon. The purpose of this article is to sketch the direction of the space program of the 1980's and to analyze the historical developments that prepared the way for this ominous turn from science to a possible "star war."

The first flight of the space shuttle Columbia, carrying a secret military cargo, was a harbinger of the 1980's becoming the decade of American military exploitation of space. The Columbia landed gracefully at the center of a carefully staged media event on July 4, 1982, at Edwards Air Force Base in California. Military brass bands blared, and spectators waved thousands of tiny souvenir stars and stripes on cue. President Reagan helicoptered over from his ranch near Santa Barbara for the 9:15 a.m. arrival of the astronauts, who stayed up for an extra orbit so that the chief executive would not have to be awakened early (a president's sleep is worth millions). Reagan used the occasion to deliver an important address on space policy.