Casey DreierMar 05, 2019

100 Planetary Society Members. 25 States. 1 Day of Action.

One hundred members of The Planetary Society just finished a day of space advocacy at the U.S. Congress. They came from 25 states and the District of Columbia. Some were grade school students who want to be astronauts. Some were retired and fondly recalled the Moon landings. We had a few professional scientists and engineers, but mostly they were men and women from all walks of life.

But they all shared one thing: they so believed in the promise of space science and exploration that they traveled to Washington on their own dime to advocate directly to Congress.

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It was my great pleasure to meet these dedicated members of The Planetary Society. Their energy, passion, and enthusiasm serve as an ongoing source of inspiration for me and my colleagues—and hopefully to you as well. For every member who was able to attend, there were hundreds more who couldn't take the time off from work, have the resources to travel, or defer commitments to their families. The space advocates in D.C. yesterday represented them and they represented you. They represented the proud legacy of this organization from Carl Sagan to Bill Nye.

In short, space brought out the best in us. As it tends to do.

The photos below are just a few highlights from our 2019 Day of Action.

NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine Addresses Members of The Planetary Society
NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine Addresses Members of The Planetary Society NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine addresses members of The Planetary Society members during a special briefing on NASA's major programs before the start of the 2019 Day of Action.Image: NASA
Planetary Society members at the U.S. Capitol
Planetary Society members at the U.S. Capitol Two Planetary Society members from Pennsylvania walk past the U.S. Capitol Building on their way to meet with their congressional offices during the 2019 day of action.Image: Antonio Peronace for The Planetary Society
The California Contingent
The California Contingent Planetary Society members traveled from California to visit Sen. Kamala Harris' office in Washington, D.C. during the 2019 Day of Action.Image: Antonio Peronace for The Planetary Society
The Pennsylvania Contingent Advocating for Space
The Pennsylvania Contingent Advocating for Space Planetary Society members from Pennsylvania meet with Sen. Pat Toomey's (R-PA) office during the 2019 Day of Action in Washington, D.C.Image: Antonio Peronace for The Planetary Society
A special briefing on New Horizons
A special briefing on New Horizons Planetary Society members received a special science briefing on the New Horizons flyby of MU69 (aka Ultima Thule) during the 2019 day of action. From left to right: Chief of Washington Operations Brendan Curry, New Horizons science team member Dr. Ralph McNutt, Chief Advocate Casey Dreier.
The Sun Sets After a Day of Action
The Sun Sets After a Day of Action The sun sets behind the U.S. Capitol Building as Planetary Society members wrap up their work advocating for space. The 2019 Day of Action saw 100 members from 25 states visit offices throughout Congress in support of space science and exploration.Image: Antonio Peronace for The Planetary Society
Planetary Society Members at the 2019 Day of Action
Planetary Society Members at the 2019 Day of Action 100 Planetary Society members from 25 states came to Washington D.C. to advocate for space science and exploration during the 2019 Day of Action.Image: Antonio Peronace for The Planetary Society

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