The Planetary Society's political advocacy program educates and encourages policymakers to invest in space science and exploration. It enables and requires the participation of tens of thousands of Planetary Society members and supporters who take civic action in support of space.

Our advocacy work is the implementation side of The Planetary Society's Space Policy Program.

Current Advocacy Priorities

While The Society's overall goals are outlined by its policy principles, the organization is reactive to and focused on the specific political situation faced by NASA each year. The following items are the organizational priorities for the calendar year 2022.

Our theme for this year is to better align NASA with the recommendations in the new planetary science decadal survey, the once-per-decade report from the National Academies of Sciences, Medicine, and Engineering.

For NASA's fiscal year (FY) 2023 budget:

Fund NASA's Planetary Science Division at $3.31 billion, an augmentation of $150 million.

This augmentation supports the following:

• Restores $130 million to the asteroid-hunting space telescope, NEO Surveyor, for a total budget of $170 million, retaining the 2026 launch date
  
• Supports the proposed funding levels for Mars Sample Return
  
• Increases research funding for the nation's planetary scientists by 10% to $221 million
• Enables a NASA contribution to an international Mars mission to map sub-surface ice

International Advocacy

As an organization based in the United States and dedicated to space science and exploration, our advocacy work is focused on the U.S. government and civil space issues. However, we seek out and share opportunities with our members around the world to take action where appropriate

Background and Context

The resources below provide additional background regarding our current advocacy priorities.