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My current project at work has led me to a number of questions about the history of space exploration. Would these questions be a better fit for history.SE or space.SE? A few examples of this kind of question:

More specifically, these are questions about:

  • space exploration
  • mistaken ideas giving way to correct ones
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  • I haven't been around much on Space.SE, so this isn't an authoritative answer, but Space.SE seems better for more technical questions. There is overlap, though.
    – Luke_0
    Commented Aug 16, 2013 at 17:34
  • On a case by case basis, it depends whether an OP is looking for history of science, or history of science.
    – Pieter Geerkens
    Commented Aug 16, 2013 at 19:57

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To expand on my comment (reproduced below), I am probably not the only science-trained poster on this site (or Space.SE) with a passion for history who can provide guidance on this. Likewise, there are undoubtedly history-trained members with a passion for science.

I suggest that Original Posters post in regards to the type and emphasis of answer they are looking for, and leave it to the community to correct occasional errors in assignment.

Original comment:
On a case by case basis, I venture that it depends whether an OP is looking for history of science, or history of science.

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  • I'm getting thrown off by the phrase "OP's post". Is "OP's" possessive or plural? Is "post" a noun or a verb?
    – Joe
    Commented Aug 16, 2013 at 20:50
  • Then I'm confused by the sentence "I suggest that [the post] in regards to the type and emphasis of answer they are looking for..." What exactly are you suggesting?
    – Joe
    Commented Aug 16, 2013 at 20:54
  • (By the way, I'm glad to see you expanding your comment into an answer. The sentiment expressed in the comment sounded great to me.)
    – Joe
    Commented Aug 16, 2013 at 20:55
  • Answer edited to remove confusion (including mine!)
    – Pieter Geerkens
    Commented Aug 16, 2013 at 20:56
  • Now I get it, thanks for bearing with me!
    – Joe
    Commented Aug 16, 2013 at 20:57
  • Sometimes it is just too, too, easy to write carelessly in one's native tongue.
    – Pieter Geerkens
    Commented Aug 16, 2013 at 20:58
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    @PieterGeerkens What? You can make mistakes? Surely NOT! My worldview just collapsed!
    – Lennart Regebro
    Commented Aug 17, 2013 at 2:01
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When did we figure out that Venus was too hot for humans?

Space.se. It lacks historiographical content. The potential "History and Philosophy of Science" question would be along the lines of "what structures or processes governed facticious depictions of Venus, what caused the changes in these depictions?"

Before 1961, what did they think would happen to people in weightlessness?

Space.se. Historiographically this is trivia. Your big clue that this isn't a history of medicine question is, "I'm looking for medical opinions from before 1961." The question asks directly for past medical advice, not for the causes, contexts or meanings of past social relationships around medicine.

History is about context and meaning. There are a wide variety of history of science questions with space content that could be answered. These two questions don't fall inside "history."

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I think that questions about the history of space exploration in so far as they relate to the development of space programs are definitely on point. Who was responsible for implementing Program X? What impact on the economy of Country Y was due to their investment in space program Z?

However, the two proposed questions you have in your question are probably not on point for the site.

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