National Space Society
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The National Space Society (NSS) is an international nonprofit 501(c)(3), educational, and scientific organization specializing in space advocacy.
The National Space Society's vision is people living and working in thriving communities beyond the Earth. NSS members promote change in social, technical, economic, and political conditions to advance the day when people will live and work in space. — National Space Society vision statement
The society supports manned space missions as well as unmanned space missions, which are remotely-controlled or robotic space probes 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.
The National Space Society was established in the United States on March 8, 1986, from the merger of two space advocacy organizations: the National Space Institute, founded by Dr. Wernher von Braun; and the L5 Society, based on the concepts of Dr. Gerard K. O'Neill.
The society enjoys the support of, and is served by, a volunteer elected Board of Directors and Board of Governors consisting of such individuals as astronauts Buzz Aldrin, Michael Collins, Frank Borman, Jim Lovell, John Glenn, Harrison Schmitt, Gerald Carr, William Pogue and Kenneth Money, writers Sir Arthur C. Clarke, C.J. Cherryh and Ben Bova, actors and entertainers Tom Hanks, Tom Cruise, Lance Bass, Majel Barrett Roddenberry, Nichelle Nichols and Bruce Boxleitner, scientists Dr. Alan Binder, Dr. K. Eric Drexler, Dr. David Criswell and Dr. Michael DeBakey, news anchor Hugh Downs, Maria von Braun and many others. The chairman of the society's Board of Governors is Hugh Downs. The chairman of the Board of Directors is Kirby Ikin. The Executive Director of the society is George Thomas Whitesides.
The society also hosts the annual International Space Development Conference (ISDC), held in major cities and venues, as well as smaller regional conferences.
The Society's magazine Ad Astra is published quarterly.
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[edit] Chapters
A large number of NSS Chapters exist around the world as a means to involve members in local groups for a variety of purposes. Some of these purposes include space advocacy, education, volunteering, and technical projects that can excite and energize the grassroots space movement.
[edit] Awards
The National Space Society was awarded the "Five-Star Best in America" award by the organisation Independent Charities of America in 2005. [citation needed]
