Description
It is not secret that the space community uses lots of jargon and a sea of acronyms. Like in any specialized group, a shared vocabulary can ease communication among various actors and also denote in-group status for individuals. At the same time, such constructions often frame and shape the overall understanding of the subject at hand. This can be seen through various tropes that are used to shorthand concepts. In the world of space, discourse is often situated within a number of tropes, to the extent that one might set up a bingo card based on phrases link "the new space race," "the ultimate high ground," "trillion dollar industry," and on and on. While the notion of playing bingo while listening to speakers at a conference is humorous, it is also revealing as to how much these tropes and their underlying ideas shape our knowledge about space. This is particularly interesting in the context of space, which for most commentators is never directly experienced, and as a result these tropes help to construct a nomos of space that frames discourse and action. This paper will engage with these narratives and their impact on the ongoing construction of the human experience of and in space.
