Televising the Space Race in Francoist Spain: Sebastià Estradé and the “Friends of Outer Space” (1967-1969)

Abstract

In the context of the space race, space science became an area of collaboration between the Spanish dictatorship and the United States of America during the 1960s. The Francoist regime leveraged its collaboration in the space race as an internal tool for political legitimization. This article examines the role of science popularization in this legitimization process by focusing on the TV show Amigos del Espacio (“Friends of Outer Space”), broadcast between 1967 and 1969 and aimed at young audiences. Specifically, it analyses the available episodes of the show and the trajectory of its scriptwriter, science writer and PhD in Law Sebastià Estradé (1923-2016). The article examines three key dimensions of Amigos del Espacio: the celebration of Spanish science and technology; the portrayal of the relationship between Spain and the United States; and the program’s integration of Catholic faith with the popularization of space science.