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About NSS
The National Space Society is the preeminent citizen’s voice on space exploration, development, and settlement. The NSS Vision is “People living and working in thriving communities beyond the Earth, and the use of the vast resources of space for the dramatic betterment of humanity.”

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Protecting humanity from dangerous space objects
The Earth is silently but continuously threatened by near-Earth objects—asteroids—some of which we will not spot until it is too late. The National Space Society works tirelessly to urge Congress to address these potential Earth-wrecking objects, but much remains to be done.

The Way Forward for Clean, Limitless Energy
Imagine a world in the not-distant future where millions of animal species have gone extinct, the oceans are dying, agriculture is failing, and humanity clings by a thread. None of us want that, but we are facing this potentially existential threat. We know what needs to be done, and we need your help.

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Asteroid Resources
The potential mineral wealth of these asteroids is so great that it would allow us to spare the Earth from the environmental destruction of mining while enabling space settlement.

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Orbital Debris
Orbital debris is a term used to describe derelict objects in space, including fragments of spacecraft, discarded equipment, and debris from explosions. This debris can travel at high speeds, causing damage to satellites and spacecraft, and poses a risk to future space exploration and commercial activities.

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NSS Space Settlement Nexus
We look forward to people living and working in thriving communities spread throughout the solar system, making use of the vast resources of space for the betterment of humanity. As space resources are discovered and developed more and more people will find it advantageous to live and work in space, culminating in a sustainable ecosystem of settlements in both free space and on various celestial bodies. A foundational principle of our vision is that space must be open to all nations and all peoples, with no artificial limits on who can go or how they choose to live.

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International Space Development Conference
June 19th-22th, 2025 in Orlando, FL

ISDC 2025

Featured Events

Science and Futurism with NSS President Isaac Arthur

This Week in Space with NSS ad Astra Editor-in-Chief Rod Pyle

NSS Forums and Town Halls with NSS host Burt Dicht

Empowering the Future of Space Development and Settlement

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An online peer-reviewed, open access journal on all aspects of space settlement and activities leading to space settlement. Read More>>

Space Settlement Journal

This roadmap describes the major milestones to be met, and the primary barriers to be overcome, to achieve the NSS Vision. Read More>>

Space Settlement Roadmap

The electronic newsletter of the National Space Society. Read More>>

ad Astra Downlink

Ad Astra is the award-winning magazine of the National Space Society. Read More>>

AsAstra Magazine

Space Forum May 15: The Space Shuttle Story

The National Space Society invites you to the next Space

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International Space Development Conference to Host Next-Gen Speakers on Spaceflight

The National Space Society’s Annual Conference Will be Held on

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NSS Supports Article on NASA Budget in Real Clear Science

New Article Suggests “Rational Reforms, Not Reckless Cuts” The National

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ISDC

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Space Solar Power

This Space Available

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NSS Gerard K. O’Neill Space Settlement Contest

This annual contest is for all students at up to 12th grade from anywhere in the world. Individuals, small teams of two to five, and large teams of six to twelve are judged separately. Read More>>

International Space Settlement Design Competition

This annual contest puts high school students in the shoes of aerospace industry engineers designing a city in space that will house over 10,000 people. Read More>>

The National Space Society’s “Live in a Healthy Space” Design Competition challenges middle and high school students (ages 12-18) to design one specific component of a space settlement – an Agricultural Module (or area). Deadline is November 30. Read More>>

“Live in a Healthy Space” Design Competition

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The National Space Society’s SpacEdge Education will be hosting virtual student debate tournaments to be held in late May/early June 2021. Read More>>

spUN Student Debates at ISDC

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The National Space Society presents the case for space solar power, the future of clean, safe, limitless energy for everyone. Space solar power will harness the power of the sun in orbit and beam energy where it is most needed on Earth, eventually replacing fossil fuels and allowing our planet to once again become the pristine home we deserve. For more information and to donate, click here.
Click here to go to NSS video and click here to go to Isacc Arthur’s space settlement playlist.

Gallery of 2009 NSS Space Settlement Art Contest

All art on these pages is copyrighted by the individual artists and may not be used without the artist’s specific permission.

The following images have been accepted by the NSS Space Settlement Calendar Committee as entries in the NSS Space Settlement 2009 Calendar Art Contest based on the contest’s submission requirements. Entries were judged by the NSS panel of art contest judges.

Click on a thumbnail image for a larger image and descriptive text. Entires marked with an asterisk are re-submitted from the 2008 Calendar contest.

Grand Prize Winning entry

GRAND PRIZE

After the Storm

Raymond Cassel

First Place Entries

FIRST PLACE ORBITAL

O’Neill Style Cylinder Colony Orbiting Mars

Goetz Scheuermann

FIRST PLACE MOON

The Lunar Greenhouse

Jonathan Chapin

FIRST PLACE MARS

Martian Evening

Timothy Hodge

FIRST PLACE ASTEROID

Asteroid Mining for Station Creation

Bryan Versteeg

Additional Winning Entries

Lover’s Lookout

Phil Batchelor

Luna

Joe Vinton

Moonbase One

Alex Aurichio

Art Exhibition on Mars

Richard Bizley

Mars 3009

Joe Vinton

In Jupiter’s Realm

Raymond Cassel

Prospectors

Joe Vinton

Orbital Space Settlement Contest Entries

Urban Renewal

Raymond Cassel

Room with a View

Carl Brown

Lunch Break

Carl Brown

Engineering the Future*

Alex Aurichio

Return to Star City

Bill Wright

Space Colony

Pablo Montero Gustavo Sureda

Asteroid

Eliana De Melio

Space Colony in Saturn Orbit

Leticia Dominguez

Gravity Zero

Pablo Montero Gustavo Sureda

The Aldrin Space Settlement

Bill Wright

Solaris City

Bill Wright

Terrarius

Bill Wright

Lover’s Lookout

Mark Gearhart

Postcard from Mars – Transport

Phil Batchelor

Spacehawks*

Reimund Bertrams

Orbital Station NSS New Dawn

Maylock Stansbury

Quest Orbital Services

Bill Wright

Families in Space*

Alex Aurichio

Jump Start Halo

Dan Thole

Pioneers of The High Frontier

Phil Batchelor

Postcard from Mars – Arrival

Phil Batchelor

Postcard from Mars – Economics

Phil Batchelor

Moonbase One

Phil Batchelor

Careers in Orbit

Phil Batchelor

Moon Settlement Contest Entries

Uruguayan Lunar Base

German Corbalan

Lunar Base Design Lab

Thiago Ceballos

Halley’s Comet 2062

Bill Wright

Tycho Settlement

Roger Klump

Smythii Crossing

Geir Lanesskog

Tranquility Base Memorial Center

Bill Wright

Archimedes Settlement

Mark Gearhart

Lunar Zen Garden*

Ayako Ono

Moonbase Texceros

Dan Thole

Star Merchant

Bill Wright

A Little Bit of Home*

Walter Myers

He3 Moon Base Mining Facility

Richard Kurbis

Moon Settlement Viaduct*

Reimund Bertrams

Eden Crater*

Alex Aurichio

Mars Settlement Contest Entries

BiodiversCity*

Daniel Rollitt

A Place Called Eden*

Bill Wright

Tharsis Settlement

Geir Lanesskog

Life on Mars

Philip Kalvan

Storm Front

Carl Brown

The Lava Tube

Raymond Cassel

Mars Land Rush

Alex Aurichio

Landing at Sagan City

Bill Wright

Sagan City and the Greening of Mars

Bill Wright

Mars Colony 1 “After the Storm”

Maylock Stansbury

Settlement Construction

Bryan Versteeg

Asteroid Contest Entries

Tomorrow*

Murphy Elliott

Outpost 12

Murphy Elliott

Asteroid City

Murphy Elliott

Nysa Colony

Roger Klump

Closest Approach

Jonathan Chapin

Tetherball

William Wood

Gaspra Mining Settlement

Bill Wright

Asteroid Mining*

Alex Aurichio