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National Space Society
Nss-logo current.jpg
Founded 1987
Type Space advocacy, 501(c)3 Education
Location
  • Washington D.C, United States
Area served
 Worldwide
Website http://nss.org

The National Space Society (NSS) is an American international nonprofit 501(c)(3) educational and scientific organization specializing in space advocacy. It is a member of the Independent Charities of America and an annual participant in the Combined Federal Campaign. The society's vision is: "People living and working in thriving communities beyond the Earth, and the use of the vast resources of space for the dramatic betterment of humanity." [1]

The society supports manned space missions as well as unmanned space missions, by both the public (e.g., NASA, Russian Federal Space Agency and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) and private sector (e.g., Ansari X Prize, Transformational Space, Scaled Composites, etc.) organizations.

History

The society was established in the United States on March 28, 1987, by the merger of the National Space Institute, founded in 1974 by Dr. Wernher von Braun,[2] and the L5 Society, founded in 1975 based on the concepts of Dr. Gerard K. O'Neill.[citation needed]

The society has an elected volunteer Board of Directors [3] and a Board of Governors.[4] The chairman of the Board of Governors is former ABC-TV 20/20 host and news anchor Hugh Downs. The chairman of the Board of Directors is Kirby Ikin.

The Independent Charities of America's Seal of Excellence

The National Space Society was awarded the "Five-Star Best in America" award by the Independent Charities of America organization in 2005.

Ad Astra

The Society publishes a magazine Ad Astra, which appears quarterly in print and electronic[5] form.

International Space Development Conference

The society hosts an annual International Space Development Conference (ISDC) held in major cities throughout the United States, often during or close to the Memorial Day weekend.

NSS Chapters network


Locations and “sphere of operation” of current NSS chapters in the United States (image courtesy of NSS)

A large number of NSS chapters exist around the world.[citation needed] The chapters may serve a local area such as a school, city or town, or have a topical or special interest focus, such as a rocketry or astronomy club, or educational/community outreach program. Chapters are the peripheral organs of the society by organizing events, communicating with the public on the merits and benefits of space exploration, and working to educate political leaders.[citation needed]

Location of current NSS chapters in Australia (image courtesy of NSS)

National Space Society of Australia

A strong contingent of chapters is located in Australia. Prior to the NSI-L5 merger, the L5 Society had been developing chapters around the world, and in Australia, three chapters had been established. The 'Southern Cross L5 Society' was formed in 1979, with groups in Sydney, Adelaide (in 1984) and Brisbane (in 1986). It was decided in late 1989 to create the National Space Society of Australia (NSSA) which could act as an umbrella organization

Similar efforts have taken hold in Brazil, Canada and Mexico, as well as European countries that have a strong aerospace presence. including France, Germany, and the Netherlands.

Awards

The society administers a number of awards. These are typically presented during the annual International Space Development Conference that NSS hosts. These awards are in recognition of individual volunteer effort, awards for NSS chapter work, the "Space Pioneer" award,[6] and two significant awards which are presented in alternate years.

Robert A. Heinlein Memorial Award

The Robert A. Heinlein Memorial Award, is given in even-numbered years (2004, 2006, etc.) to "honor those individuals who have made significant, lifetime contributions to the creation of a free spacefaring civilization.

Heinlein Award Winners:[7]

NSS Von Braun Award

The NSS Von Braun Award is given in odd-numbered years (1993, 1995, etc.) "to recognize excellence in management of and leadership for a space-related project where the project is significant and successful and the manager has the loyalty of a strong team that he or she has created." Awardees include:[8]

Von Braun Award Winners:

Other scholarships and award activities

Other scholarships and award activities NSS provides or assists with include the following awards:
  • The NSS-ISU scholarship, worth $12,000, to the International Space University. Application deadline is December 31 of each year, for study during the following year. The 2005 recipient was Robert Guinness of St. Louis;
  • EURISY international youth science fiction writing competition (NSS provided US support in 2005), and;
  • Permission to Dream space adventure for students, teachers and parents from the Space Frontier Foundation which is partly sponsored by NSS.

Affiliations

The National Space Society is an alliance organization of the Meade 4M Community and the Coalition for Space Exploration in support of the educational initiatives and outreach of NSS.