Join
Renew Donate

National Space Society Committees

Index (Table of Contents)

Common Committee Information
Ad Astra Editorial Committee
Archives Committee
Awards Committee
Bylaws and Corporate Policies Committee
Chapters Committee
Conferences Committee
Development Committee
Finance Committee
International Committee
Investment Committee
Membership Committee
Policy Committee
Projects Committee
Roadmap Committee
Social Media Committee
Space Settlement Advocacy Committee
Strategic Planning Committee

Common Committee Information  |  Index

  • Appointment
    • (i)Within 30 days after the Officers election is completed, each Officer shall nominate, for the approval of the Executive Committee, the persons to constitute the voting members of each Committee that reports to that Officer.
    • (ii)To the extent reasonable, these nominees should be persons with experience in the area of responsibility of the specific Committee to which nominated.
  • Additional Appointees
    • (i)  From time to time thereafter an Officer may appoint additional persons to be a non-voting member of such Committee and, if the appointment of such a person is thereafter approved by the Executive Committee, such person shall become a voting member of the Committee.
    • (ii)  At any time, a Committee Chair may appoint additional persons to be non-voting members of such Committee.
  • Committee Chairs
    • (i)  Within 30 days after the Officers election is completed, each Officer shall nominate, for the approval of the Executive Committee, the person to serve as the Committee Chair of each Committee that reports to the Officer.
    • (ii)  Each Chair, which could be the overseeing Officer, shall have the same rights and privileges as the other voting members.
    • (iii)  A Committee Chair will be responsible for the following:
      • Scheduling of Committee meetings
      • Notification of Committee meetings
      • Conduct of Committee meetings
      • Any recording of meeting minutes (especially decisions)*
      • Any recording and tracking of actions*
      • Overseeing the timely completion of Committee activities and actions
      • *(could be delegated to a Committee Secretary)
    • (iv)  A Committee Chair may appoint committee-level officers (e.g., Secretary) and create lower-tier groups (e.g., sub-committees, task forces, etc.) to assist in the performance of such duties and ensure the efficient operations of the Committee.
  • Term of Service
    • (i)  A member of a Committee shall serve from the time of the Appointment until the Officer’s group nominations are approved by the Executive Committee after the next Officer’s election.
    • (ii)  This is a period of up to approximately two years.
  • Meetings and Operations
    • Each Committee should meet face-to-face at least once per year.  Opportunities include:
    • Each Committee should hold other meetings at least once per month.  Options include:
      • Telephone meetings
      • Voice-over-IP (VoIP) meetings
      • Web Chat Room meetings
      • Web Virtual World meetings
      • Web Forums*
      • Email Exchanges*
      • *(these are more conducive to correspondence than real-time discussion)
    • Each Committee will work as necessary with NSS Headquarters (HQ) staff, NSS volunteers, NSS local chapters, and contract services as directed by the overseeing Officer.
    • Each Committee shall provide a report on its activities for the Board of Directors.
      • Prior to the annual ISDC
      • Prior to the NSS Fall Board of Directors Meeting
  • For More Information

Ad Astra Editorial Committee | Index

  • General Responsibilities
    • Responsible for coordinating how the flagship publication of the Society reflects Society policies and strategies.
    • Reports to the Executive Committee
  • Current Committee Officers
    • Members are the Chair of the Executive Committee, the Senior Operating Officer, the Executive Vice President, the President, the Vice President of Public Affairs, and two members of the Board of Directors selected by majority vote of the Executive Committee
    • Ex-Officio members are the Editor of Ad Astra and the Director of Publications

Archives Committee  |  Index

  • General Responsibilities
    • Responsible for the long term preservation of NSS physical and electronic records.
    • Reports to the NSS Secretary
  • Current Committee Officers

Awards Committee  |  Index

Bylaws and Corporate Policies Committee  |  Index

Chapters Committee  |  Index

Conferences Committee  |  Index

Development Committee  |  Index

Finance Committee  |  Index

  • General Responsibilities
    • Responsible for assisting the Treasurer in the performance of the Treasurer’s duties.
    • Reports to the Treasurer
  • NSS Website Responsibilities
    • NSS Public Finance Documents
  • Current Committee Officers

International Committee  |  Index

Investment Committee  |  Index

  • General Responsibilities
    • Responsible for managing the investment funds of the Society, including its operating reserve, investment fund, and endowment fund.
    • Responsible for the selection of investment managers.
    • Responsible for investment decisions only, and has no authority to spend money or authorize checks not related to the management of the investments.
    • Reports to the Vice-President of Development
  • Current Committee Officers

Membership Committee  |  Index

Policy Committee  |  Index

  • General Responsibilities
    • Responsible for for determining the general positions of the Society on legislative issues
      and the strategy and program through which the Society shall promote these positions.
    • Has authority for expenditures for the Society’s legislative program, including
      contracting for lobbying services, from funds set aside by the Executive Committee for
      such purposes in a duly approved budget.
    • Responsible for legislative action on behalf of the Society including a phone tree,
      letter writing, and other types of legislative campaigns.
    • Responsible for developing and maintaining a phone tree and other procedures, including
      appointment and removal of volunteer legislative action coordinators.
    • Reports to the Executive Vice President
  • Composition and Operations
    • Legislative program funds shall be budgeted for staff salaries as appropriate where staff
      personnel are assigned to legislative program tasks.
    • Shall not engage in any activities which are prohibited to nonprofit corporations pursuant to
      either the Laws of the District of Columbia or the applicable provisions of the Internal Revenue Code.
    • Conducts group meetings with members of the U.S. Congress.
    • Coordinates local meetings with members of government and industry.
    • Operates and maintains the Political Action Network of volunteer activists.
    • Operates and maintains the NSS Phone Tree, in conjunction with email Alerts.
  • NSS Website Responsibilities
  • Current Committee Officers
  • For More Information

Projects Committee  |  Index

Roadmap Committee  |  Index

Social Media Committee  |  Index

Space Settlement Advocacy Committee  |  Index

Strategic Planning Committee  |  Index

Space 2.0 Magazine Cover
Ad Astra
Ad Astra 2023 Winter (Volume 35 Number 1)
NASA FCU footer
NSS-Logo-White

We are people from around the world dedicated to the creation of a spacefaring civilization. We are an independent nonprofit nonpartisan educational membership organization.

Facebook Twitter Instagram Youtube Linkedin

About NSS

Publications

Get involved

Our Goals

Events & Contests

Videos

quick Links

©2025 space.nss.org. All rights reserved. NSS is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
NSS Logo RGB

We are people from around the world dedicated to the creation of a spacefaring civilization. We are an independent nonprofit nonpartisan educational membership organization.

Join Renew
DONATE NOW

Keep in Touch

Facebook Twitter Instagram Youtube Linkedin

Your Doorway to New Worlds

Or Join Now