2pm EST,, Friday February 19th

Virtual Communities: How Fan Groups and Space Enthusiasts Connected Without Meeting

Spaceflight enthusiasts have sought each other out for years, even when they could not gather in person. Magazines and newsletters not only carried information, they linked communities. From early Star Trek fan groups to L5 Society members sharing their excitement about space colonization, virtual communities relied upon a very physical, if dispersed, network. Drawing from a larger book project on the cultural history of spaceflight enthusiasm, Weitekamp will take you on a tour through time, examining the many ways that virtual groups connected for decades before videoconferencing.