Space 1999 is a 10 day festival of independent and community-based space exploration organised by the Association of Autonomous Astronauts (AAA). Space 1999 is part of the AAA's Five Year Plan to establish by the year 2000 a world-wide network of groups dedicated to building their own spaceships.

Space 1999 will take place in London, June 18-27 1999.

Events planned so far include:

- An Intergalactic Conference featuring talks and presentations, at the University of Westminster's lecture theatre in Baker St., central London. Four scheduled panel discussions will explore - 'Raves in space. Is music space travel?'; 'Can science fiction inspire space exploration?'; 'Getting our hands dirty. Is access to space technology possible now?' and 'See You In Space. Experiences of independent space exploration'. Invited speakers include Kodwo Eshun (author of 'More Brilliant Than the Sun' published by Quartet), Pat Cadigan (author of numerous science fiction novels), Constance Penley (author of 'Nasa/Trek' published by Verso) and Riccardo Balli (author of 'Anche Tu Astronauta' published by Castelvecchi)

- Various evening events throughout the festival including film and video presentations and a special pub night with debates on the important space exploration issues.

- Numerous lunch-time pickets, gatherings and demonstrations against the state, corporate and military monopoly of space travel.

- AAA training sessions and tours of AAA launch sites throughout London; also games of 3-sided fooball and the first ever 'Three-Sided Football Intergalactic Cup Final'.

- An all-night party and rave in space as well as various music events throughout the festival.

- Essential workshops on how to become an Autonomous Astronaut, including sex in space, contacting your inner alien, and astral projections.

- An exhibition of AAA propaganda and printed matter at the Info Centre, an experimental art space in East London.

Space 1999 sponsors currently include: The Idler magazine, Blast First Records, the Disobey Club, KIng Mob record label, Deepdisc web design collective, Pictorial Heroes video production company, Channel net art organisation, Artec (London's Arts and Technology Center), hole-in-the.net internet server.

email: jason@artec.org.uk