From Space Colonies to Nanobots: Exploring the Social Movement Spillover Between Space and Nanotechnology

This ongoing research investigates the connections between the 1970s pro-space movement and the 1980s pro-nano movement, two important pro-technology social movements, in order to discover what evoked public imagination about nanotechnology. We postulate that the advocates of the 1970s pro-space movement dominated the public impression of nanotechnology when it began in the 1980s. Once such case study of this social movement spillover is the space elevator endeavor. Data analysis was conducted of numerous texts including primary source materials from relevant social movement organizations and interviews with individuals from the target population. Preliminary findings showed commonality of histories by network entrepreneurs during these periods. Hence, we speculate that shared people, ideologies, and resources paved the way for the social movement spillover between pro-space and pro-nano movements.