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Brevard Astronomical Society 27 Aug 2008. NSS Mission. “To promote social, economic, technological, and political change in order to expand civilization beyond Earth, to settle space and to use the resulting resources to build a hopeful and prosperous future for humanity.”. About NSS.
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Brevard Astronomical Society 27 Aug 2008
NSS Mission “To promote social, economic, technological, and political change in order to expand civilization beyond Earth, to settle space and to use the resulting resources to build a hopeful and prosperous future for humanity.”
About NSS • 501(c)(3) educational, non-profit corporation • Elected Board of Directors guide policies • Executive Director and staff in Washington, DC handle day-to-day operations • Chapters organize local outreach efforts
History of NSS • National Space Institute (1974) • Founded by Wernher von Braun • Nonprofit, educational, and scientific organization • L5 Society (1975) • Inspired by Gerard O’Neil • Focused on space colonization • Merged to form NSS in 1987
NSS National Projects • Focus on public participation • Reach new audiences • Initiate lasting partnerships • Creative, innovative, fascinating
RETURN TO LUNA Short Story Contest • Co-sponsored by Hadley Rille Books • Stories show the adventure of lunar settlement • Winners published as an anthology and featured in Ad Astra magazine
Space Settlement Calendar Art Contest • Promote awareness of the benefits to humanity of a spacefaring civilization • 12 original works of art are selected from entries • Calendar is sold online and by local chapters
NASA/NSS Space Settlement Student Design Contest • In collaboration with NASA Ames Research Center • Annual contest • 6-12th grade students • Design a fully functional space settlement
International Space Settlement Design Competition • Annual contest • High school students • Design a city in space that will house over 10,000 people (a space colony) • Creativity, technical competence, management skills, environmental knowledge, space, teamwork, and presentation techniques used to judge entries
Space Ambassadors Program • Communicate the value of space research and exploration to local communities • One Space Ambassador will be selected to fly to space • Suborbital flight was donated by Virgin Galactic
Zero Gravity Flights NSS charter flight in 2004 Zero G offers a 10% discount for NSS members!
International Space Development Conference (ISDC) • NSS annual conference • 4-days long, in a different city each year • Civilian, military, commercial, entrepreneurial, and grassroots advocacy space sectors • Panel sessions, meal speakers, individual presentations, exhibits, etc.
ISDC 2009 • May 2009 in Orlando, Florida • Space Investment Summit + 4 days of plenaries, sessions & tracks • 1500+ attendees • Organized locally by NSS Florida Space Coast chapter
NSS Florida • 3 NSS chapters in Florida • Southwest Florida • He3 in Northwest Orlando • Space Coast • Working together across Florida!!
Florida Space Coast chapter • One of the most active chapters in NSS! • 30-40 members on email • Two primary focus areas: • Publicize space-related events & organizations in Florida • Support public outreach activities • Monthly member meetings • Location varies around Brevard County • May be replaced by outreach event or activity
Yuri’s Night • Annual worldwide celebration of manned spaceflight on April 12 • Celebrated as a Space Beach Party in 2008 at Cocoa Beach Pier • Major sponsors in 2008 • Looking for 2009 venue
Launch Support & Events • Outreach at Space View Park and other locations during launches • Distribute copies of Ad Astra magazine for free • Support events at KSC (STS-1 anniversary, World Space Expo, etc.)