Long before actual space travel there was science fiction which imagined every possible plot.
And since fiction has to have protagonist and an antagonist, [1], the "disease from outer space" was well earned.
So I expect its a bit of both. Good PR to head-off the space-bug narrative, and arguably prudent behaviour in the face of no experience.
[1] real life is mostly boring. They went to the moon, they came back, nothing happened. By apollo 13 it was so routine they didn't broadcast the launch, or live feed. The drama was because something unexpected happened. Then again quickly forgotten.
Most people who lived through that time can't tell you a single thing about apollos 14 through 18, or that 18 didn't fly.
Equally I saw the first shuttle mission launch on TV, but then mea. There were 135 launches. 2 ended badly. Oh, and they fixed hubble. And they built a space station. But I couldn't tell you much of anything in any detail.
And since fiction has to have protagonist and an antagonist, [1], the "disease from outer space" was well earned.
So I expect its a bit of both. Good PR to head-off the space-bug narrative, and arguably prudent behaviour in the face of no experience.
[1] real life is mostly boring. They went to the moon, they came back, nothing happened. By apollo 13 it was so routine they didn't broadcast the launch, or live feed. The drama was because something unexpected happened. Then again quickly forgotten.
Most people who lived through that time can't tell you a single thing about apollos 14 through 18, or that 18 didn't fly.
Equally I saw the first shuttle mission launch on TV, but then mea. There were 135 launches. 2 ended badly. Oh, and they fixed hubble. And they built a space station. But I couldn't tell you much of anything in any detail.
Life is boring.