At the Cosmic Shores Gala, celebration, connection, and hope for the future

Aboard the iconic Queen Mary — in front of a crowd that included Star Trek actors, NASA leaders, and Bill Nye — Congresswoman Judy Chu summed up The Planetary Society’s 45 years of history in three words:

“You empower people,” she said.

On April 5, 2025, Chu gathered alongside Planetary Society members to celebrate our 45th anniversary at the Cosmic Shores Gala. The Congresswoman was fresh from the Day of Action, where she stood beside our members as they fought for space science and exploration on Capitol Hill just a week before. Chu, as one of the leaders of the Congressional Planetary Science Caucus, spoke to our impact:

“This advocacy makes a difference,” she said. “Your work not only advances our understanding of other worlds and the possibility of finding life outside of Earth, but you're also inspiring future generations.”

In addition to Congresswoman Chu, the Gala hosted more than two hundred people from around the world. Some guests had dedicated their careers to scientific discovery, or even helped build spacecraft that are now flying across the Solar System; others had backgrounds completely unrelated to science but were passionate advocates for exploration. All came together around their shared vision for our future in space.

“It was a wonderful evening,” said Bill Nye, CEO of The Planetary Society. “I was so impressed with the passion and dedication of our supporters.”

Robert Picardo acted as the night’s master of ceremonies. Tim Russ, another actor famous for his roles in the Star Trek universe, was also in attendance. So were Europa Clipper project scientist Bob Pappalardo, PhD, and Jet Propulsion Laboratory director Laurie Leshin, PhD. 

The evening kicked off with a talk by Pappalardo on the history of Europa Clipper, a major mission to a potentially habitable world that The Planetary Society helped get to the launchpad. Afterward, Pappalardo was joined by Bill Nye and Jim Bell, PhD, professor of planetary science at the University of Arizona, as well as Bethany Ehlmann, PhD, professor of planetary science at the California Institute of Technology and president of The Planetary Society. The panel discussed planetary exploration and the search for life, with questions from Planetary Society members. 

The night continued with guests mingling over a silent auction. Everyone had a chance to meet Pappalardo, admire his replica of the spacecraft plaque now on its way to Jupiter, and bid on items ranging from original Star Trek scripts to a postcard that flew to the Moon. Though the auction has already raised over $7,000, some items are still available for bidding online until April 25. 

Such fundraising would not have been possible in the first place without Planetary Society board member Lorne Trottier and his sponsorship of the Cosmic Shores Gala. Thanks to Trottier’s support, The Planetary Society was able to gather together, celebrate its accomplishments, and look to the future. 

Trottier’s generosity, in turn, empowered The Planetary Society to recognize the singular contributions of another member at the event: Taner Halicioglu. 

Halicioglu, founder of the Halicioglu Family Foundation and the Data Science Alliance, acted as lead donor of our Beyond the Horizon campaign. This campaign has transformed The Planetary Society, turning us into a stronger organization and giving us the tools to become bolder space advocates. 

In recognition of his generosity, leadership, and vision, The Planetary Society honored Halicioglu with the C. Wallace Hooser Award for Visionary Philanthropy. 

“Taner’s impact extends far beyond the tech world. His philanthropy has been nothing short of transformational,” said Dan Geraci, chairman of the board of The Planetary Society. 

Halicioglu, attending the event with his partner, Vicki Brown, accepted the award and spoke to The Planetary Society’s role in enacting change. 

“When the Beyond the Horizon campaign was announced, it really resonated with me,” said Halicioglu. “While each of us can try to support space science individually, it only goes so far unless we channel that support through a larger organization. I see the Planetary Society as a kind of lever, amplifying the power of every contribution.” 

The generosity of Halicioglu and others like him could not have come at a more crucial moment. Over the gala’s dinner, a number of The Planetary Society’s leaders spoke about the crisis now facing space science and exploration. Lou Friedman, PhD, co-founder of The Planetary Society and executive director emeritus, was the first to draw a parallel between the political environment in which the Society was founded and that prevailing in 2025. 

Like in the Society’s early days, planetary exploration now faces an extinction-level event. The recently proposed cuts to NASA would cancel missions, ground spacecraft, and possibly even turn off probes already sailing through space. There’s a real possibility that we leave untold discoveries on the table — that we burn our ships and remain stranded on the cosmic shore.

“What brought us together in the beginning still holds true today,” said Jennifer Vaughn, COO of The Planetary Society. 

But, according to Vaughn, we are not simply back where we started. Our grassroots movement may be fueled by the same collective passion that it has been ever since Carl Sagan co-founded The Planetary Society, but — thanks in part to donors like Halicioglu — we are more capable than ever before. We have organized massive advocacy campaigns, built our own spacecraft, spread our message to millions of people, and helped save real space missions.

“We’ve been training for this moment for 45 years,” Vaughn said. “We’re ready. We’re determined. And we’re just getting started.”