Paper short abstract:

In this paper, I reflect upon Mexican imaginaries of outer space, taking as a starting point a speculative assemblage of iconographic, mythological, ritual and architectural fragments known as "Martenochtitlan", produced collectively by a diverse group of Mexican space enthusiasts.

Paper long abstract:

In this paper, I reflect upon Mexican imaginaries of outer space, taking as a starting point a speculative assemblage of iconographic, mythological, ritual and architectural fragments known as "Martenochtitlan", produced collectively by a diverse group of Mexican space enthusiasts. How do Mexicans see the stars (so far from God, so close to NASA)? What is the role of speculative narrative in the construction of Mexican futures, in outer space and on the Earth? Does the perceived Mesoamerican past, with its long tradition of celestial observation, have something to say about these futures? How do imaginaries that emerge from the margins contribute to the construction of alternative futures, without reproducing colonialist and extractivist narratives that have, until now, characterized the perspectives of the global space industry?