Okay, based on drak's suggestions, here's a second pass:
Late 2006 - Early 2007: Handwavium is "invented." Samples are sent to high-security mundane labs for analysis.
Spring 2007: The handwavium manages to slip past the security and starts filtering into fandom.
Summer 2007: Worldcon Yokohama - The first public demonstration of the power of handwavium when an enterprising fan refits his car and flies to Japan for the con.
Fall 2007: That Con - Enterprising idiot spikes the hospitality suite food with concentrated handwavium, causing unexpected biomods in the convention goers. USGov goes nuts, "quarantines" the guests until they make their own escape.
Fall/Winter 2007: First wave of handwavium-equipped explorers hit orbit, Luna, Mars.
Winter 2007: The Professor hits Paris with much bwahahaha-ing; Hermes Universal Deliveries founded.
Spring 2008: Noah Scott starts building Stellvia; Lunar cities founded(?)
Summer 2008: Flying Island launched; major factions (Trekkies, Warsies) begin moving off Earth en masse; Rockhounds, Inc. starts moving asteroids; Professor steals/borrows/blackmails the Sol Bianca from the Danish crown and makes his way offworld.
Fall 2008: USGov enacts strict handwavium regulations; Explain Star leaves Earth amid hail of gunfire; USGov enacts draconian anti-handwavium legislation in wake of Explain Star incident; Pinafore lifts one step ahead of the federales; Mars Terraforming Project begins(?); Galaxy Express 999 enters service.
Winter 2008/09: Senshi settle on (above) Venus(?); Venus Terraforming Project begins(?)
Spring 2009: (?)
Summer 2009: Worldcon Flying Island - First off-Earth Worldcon; first Articles of Convention produced, voted on.
2010: KandorCon - First formal Convention; treaty between the Fandom Nation and the governments of Earth. Blanket amnesty given to all fen who left Earth during the hardest parts of the handwavium restrictions.
2011: (?)
2012: Grover's Corners launches from West Virginia, causing much consternation in the 'danelaw; Suzumiya's Convention - SOS-dan calls a Convention under the emergency clause; Star Patrol founded.---
Mr. Fnord
http://fnord.sandwich.net/
http://www.jihad.net/
Mr. Fnord interdimensional man of mystery
FenWiki - Your One-Stop Shop for Fenspace Information
"I. Drink. Your. NERDRAGE!"
Late 2006 - Early 2007: Handwavium is "invented." Samples are sent to high-security mundane labs for analysis.
Spring 2007: The handwavium manages to slip past the security and starts filtering into fandom.
Summer 2007: Worldcon Yokohama - The first public demonstration of the power of handwavium when an enterprising fan refits his car and flies to Japan for the con.
Fall 2007: That Con - Enterprising idiot spikes the hospitality suite food with concentrated handwavium, causing unexpected biomods in the convention goers. USGov goes nuts, "quarantines" the guests until they make their own escape.
Fall/Winter 2007: First wave of handwavium-equipped explorers hit orbit, Luna, Mars.
Winter 2007: The Professor hits Paris with much bwahahaha-ing; Hermes Universal Deliveries founded.
Spring 2008: Noah Scott starts building Stellvia; Lunar cities founded(?)
Summer 2008: Flying Island launched; major factions (Trekkies, Warsies) begin moving off Earth en masse; Rockhounds, Inc. starts moving asteroids; Professor steals/borrows/blackmails the Sol Bianca from the Danish crown and makes his way offworld.
Fall 2008: USGov enacts strict handwavium regulations; Explain Star leaves Earth amid hail of gunfire; USGov enacts draconian anti-handwavium legislation in wake of Explain Star incident; Pinafore lifts one step ahead of the federales; Mars Terraforming Project begins(?); Galaxy Express 999 enters service.
Winter 2008/09: Senshi settle on (above) Venus(?); Venus Terraforming Project begins(?)
Spring 2009: (?)
Summer 2009: Worldcon Flying Island - First off-Earth Worldcon; first Articles of Convention produced, voted on.
2010: KandorCon - First formal Convention; treaty between the Fandom Nation and the governments of Earth. Blanket amnesty given to all fen who left Earth during the hardest parts of the handwavium restrictions.
2011: (?)
2012: Grover's Corners launches from West Virginia, causing much consternation in the 'danelaw; Suzumiya's Convention - SOS-dan calls a Convention under the emergency clause; Star Patrol founded.---
Mr. Fnord
http://fnord.sandwich.net/
http://www.jihad.net/
Mr. Fnord interdimensional man of mystery
FenWiki - Your One-Stop Shop for Fenspace Information
"I. Drink. Your. NERDRAGE!"