The Nonhuman Autonomous Space Agency

This paper looks at a specific territory, outer space, and begins with a body of research into the ways in which the agencies that practice space exploration have attempted to make this edgeless territory legible and figurable. The project of space exploration has been advanced through the deployment of networks of active subjects. This research looks at the robots, spacecraft, and animals used in orbital experiments, with attention to the voices and identities offered to these subjects within the context of contemporary social media and online culture, the internet, and the forthcoming ‘internet of things’. A case study project speculates on the possible future use of the combination of social media and active, speaking agents in space exploration. Finally, a set of conclusions is presented, in parallel with a discussion of the broader usefulness of the methods and frameworks from the case study scenario.

Volume Editors
David Ruy & Lola Sheppard

ISBN
978-0-935502-95-4