Who we are
About Us
Who are we? We are YOU!
We are dads, moms, grandparents, teachers, kids, scientists, engineers, and space geeks. We are those who reach out into the Universe to seek answers to those deep questions: Where did we come from?, and Are we alone?
We are wowed and awed by the discovery of new things, the mysteries of science, the innovations of technology, the bravery of astronauts, and by the stunning images sent back to us from other worlds.
We know that space exploration is vital to humankind...and it is just plain fun!
-Bill Nye, CEO
The Planetary Society
What we do
We create. We educate. We advocate.
With your support, The Planetary Society sponsors projects that will seed innovative space technologies, nurtures creative young minds, and is a vital advocate for our future in space.
Right now we are…
- Scanning the skies for dangerous asteroids,
- Hunting for Earthlike planets,
- Searching for life in the Universe,
- Advocating for needed science funding,
- And flying our very own solar sail spacecraft, Lightsail-1.
Why we do it
Our Mission is to …Create a better future by exploring other worlds and understanding our own.
What you can do
Want to get more involved? We are YOUR place in space.
We're excited to share with you the many ways you can participate with us to play a part in the future of space exploration.
From joining our online community to volunteering to becoming a member of our New Millennium Committee, we have something just right for you.
You can…
- Join our global online community
- Connect with us on Facebook or via Twitter
- Participate with our Volunteer Network
- Sponsor projects
- Contribute monthly in our Discovery Team program
- Become a Planetary Society Member
How we started
The Planetary Society, founded in 1980 by Carl Sagan, Bruce Murray, and Louis Friedman, to inspire and involve the world's public in space exploration through advocacy, projects, and education. Today, The Planetary Society is the largest and most influential public space organization group on Earth.
The Planetary Society is incorporated as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in the United States.
More About Us
Our volunteer Board of Directors is responsible for governing and setting The Planetary Society's policies and future directions. They are all leaders, chosen for their passion about and knowledge of space exploration.
The Planetary Society is proud to honor those in our community who help to promote the future of space exploration through two very special awards, The Cosmos Award for Outstanding Public Presentation of Science and The Thomas O. Paine Memorial Award for the Advancement of Human Exploration of Mars.
Founded in 1980 by Carl Sagan, Bruce Murray, and Louis Friedman, The Planetary Society is has inspired the people of Earth to explore other worlds, understand our own, and seek life elsewhere for over 30 years.
Support our Asteroid Hunters
They are Watching the Skies for You!
Our researchers, worldwide, do absolutely critical work.
Asteroid 2012DA14 was a close one.
It missed us. But there are more out there.
Save Our Science
Become a Space Advocate
We are at a crucial turning point in the history of planetary exploration.
You can help.
Together, we can get the budget we need to support our planetary endeavors and Save our Science.
We've done it before. Let's do it again.
Connect With Us
Facebook! Twitter! Google+ and more…
Continue the conversation with our online community!
