The National Space Society (NSS) is an independent, educational, grassroots, nonprofit organization dedicated to the creation of a spacefaring civilization.
Our Vision For The Future
The National Space Society envisions a future where people live and work in thriving communities beyond the Earth.
Our mission is to promote social, economic, technological, and political change to expand civilization beyond Earth, to settle space, and to use the resulting resources to build a hopeful and prosperous future for humanity.
With more than 30,000 member-subscribers and a vibrant network of local chapters, the society is united by a passion for space development and exploration, as well as a desire to improve the condition of humanity through space.
NSS History
We held our first International Space Development Conference (ISDC) in 1981. Over the following 44 years, the conference has expanded to become one of the premiere conferences for those interested in space development.
The National Space Society was born from the merger of two space organizations: the National Space Institute, established by Dr. Wernher von Braun, James Fletcher, and Hugh Downs; and the L5 Society, based on the space settlement concepts of Gerald K. O’Neill. These groups came together to create a society of optimists, people who believe that space can help bring about a better future for humanity. Many current leaders of NASA, entrepreneurial space companies, and the astronaut corps are longtime members of NSS.
What Do We Do?
The NSS pursues a variety of educational, legislative, and technical projects to advance its mission:
- We are the publisher of Ad Astra magazine, an award-winning periodical chronicling the most important developments in space.
- Our telescope outreach programs have reached hundreds of schools, and our local chapters have brought the inspiration of space to thousands of students.
- Our technical projects range from space settlement challenges to suborbital rockets. Local chapters such as the HAL-5 Society have made pioneering advances in the use of hybrid fuel systems.
- Our legislative campaigns are well known as being among the most powerful grassroots efforts for space on Capitol Hill.
- We are committed to education through our sponsoring of student competitions such as the NSS Space Settlement Contest, whose winners are featured at ISDC. In addition, the Pete Conrad Spirit of Innovation Awards challenge high school students to design products using science and technology. Our educational competitions, lessons, activities, and programs span grades K-12, university, and post-doctoral age levels.
- We work to inspire the next generation of space leaders, as we believe space holds the key to the future of life on Earth. We work to engage teachers, students, and community in learning programs that improve the quality of space-related education and themes.
- Through our educational efforts, we strive to advance the careers of space-interested students from around the world.
If you are not yet an NSS member, we encourage you to join today! Our members are artists, entrepreneurs, writers, teachers, engineers, students, scientists, astronauts, pilots, musicians – and anything else you can imagine. Join us, and help put people in space to live, to work, and to stay!
The National Space Society (NSS) is an independent, educational, grassroots, nonprofit organization dedicated to the creation of a spacefaring civilization. For U.S. tax purposes, NSS is a tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) educational, nonprofit corporation.
All donations to NSS are fully tax deductible (as allowed by your local laws).
To join the NSS newsletter, please click here.