WHo thought up the self destruct button in science fx shows.?

Question

Why do most science fiction shows always have a self destruct button for there spacecraft. I dont have a self destruct button on my car or in my house. Where did the thought of having a self destruct button come from.

Answer 1

From the early days of the space program, when rockets would fly off course more than they would run true.  Rather than letting the missile land somewhere and kill people, or "fall into the wrong hands," it was sent a self-destruct signal.  There is also precedent from the earliest days of naval engagements, where you did not let your ship fall into enemy hands since it would be reflagged and used against your country.  Scuttling vessels rather than letting them be captured is a long tradition, which is the nautical equivalent of the self-destruct button.  

Sci-fi spacecraft take a lot of their operations from ships.  So a self-destruct button sort of follows.