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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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Gold Winner 2024
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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

Rothblatt Space Settlement in Our Lifetime Winners Announced

The fifth annual Martine Rothblatt Space Settlement in Our Lifetime

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Space Forum June 12: Behind the Lens: Capturing Five Decades of Space Flights

The National Space Society invites you to the next Space

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Philanthropist and Astronaut Jared Isaacman to Appear at the NSS International Space Development Conference this Month

Isaacman Will Be the Featured Speaker at Dinner Event on

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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

Explore More Contests

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.

NSS Space Settlement 2008 Calendar Art Contest Gallery

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 were accepted by the NSS Space Settlement Calendar Committee as entries in the 2008 NSS Space Settlement Calendar Art Contest.

Click on a thumbnail image for a larger image and descriptive text. See also the 2009 Calendar Contest Gallery.

Grand Prize Winning entry

The Return to Abalakin

Alexander Preuss
Category: Orbital Settlements

Click here >>

First Place Entries

Orbital

Islands of the Gods
Richard Bizley

Moon

Moonbase Preparations
Warren Turner

Mars

Mars from a Young Perspective
Javier Arizabalo

Asteroid

Asteroid Settlement Slingshot to the Galaxy
Chee Ming Wong

Additional Winning Entries

Inside Orbital City

Murphy Elliott
Orbital Category

The Soaring Arena

Bill Wright
Lunar Category

Descent Into The Dark Side

Raymond Cassel
Lunar Category

Second Outpost

Janek Kozicki
Mars Category

Mars Gardens

Alex Aurichio
Mars Category

Mining Settlement on 90 Antiope

Walter Myers
Asteroid Category

City Under Glass

Raymond Cassel
Asteroid Category

Orbital Space Settlement Contest Entries

Spacehawks

Reimund Bertrams

Families In Space

Alex Aurichio

Mars Orbital Processing Station

Processing Station
Steve Munsinger

Imitating the Earth

Javier Arizabalo

Stanford Torus

Joe Strout

Lunar Shuttle T-32

Bill Wright

Engineering The Future

Alex Aurichio

Quito Alto

Geir Lanesskog

Construction Site

Carl Brown

Vertigo

Geir Lanesskog

O’Neill Colony: Lagrange Point 5

Lagrange Point 5
Richard Bartrop

Mars Orbital Stations

Leonardo Ceballos

Port Gossamer

William Wood

Red Harbor

William Wood

Moon Settlement Contest Entries

Aquarius One

Alex Aurichio

Aldrin/Collins Station, Lunar South Pole

Steve Munsinger

Moon Scene

Geir Lanesskog

Eden Crater

Alex Aurichio

Prometheus One

Alex Aurichio

Higherway

William Wood

On Approach to New Wapakoneta

Joe Bruce

Moonbase “Apollo”

Bill Wright

Montes Apenninus Encampment MA-1 Flyover

C.Wm. House

Oxygen Gulch

William Wood

Moon Settlement – Viaduct

Reimund Bertrams

Griffin Lunar Research Center

Bill Wright

A Little Bit of Home

Walter Myers

Lunar Zen Garden

Ayako Ono

Skylight of the Universe

Alfred Twu

Mars Settlement Contest Entries

Mars 2500 C.E: Space Port

Kristin Medin

Chaos 1

Joanna Kozicka

Chaos 2

Joanna Kozicka

Cliff

Joanna Kozicka

Cliff-close

Joanna Kozicka

Crater

Joanna Kozicka

Steep Cliff

Joanna Kozicka

Deployment

Janek Kozicki

Mars Scene

Geir Lanesskog

Biodome City

(two versions)
Daniel Rollitt

A Place Called Eden

Bill Wright

R and R on Mars

Bill Wright

Mars One Settlement

Kyle Ronan

Martian Pioneers

Walter Myers

A Day in the Life of a Martian Family

Kristin Medin

Asteroid Contest Entries

Starships and Asteroid Settlement

Thomas Nackid

Resuplication

C.Wm. House

Phobos Base

C.Wm. House

Asteroid Mining

Alex Aurichio

Settlement Ida

Steve Munsinger

Tomorrow

Murphy Elliott

Mining the Twins

Geir Lanesskog

Argosy

Bill Wright

Stoners Rock

William Wood

Jovian Asteroid Diversion Project

Carl Brown

Utopia One

Geir Lanesskog

Cable Runner

Karl Johanson

Asteroid Colony

Hannu Parviainen

Asteroid Colony (Close View)

Hannu Parviainen

“Muir II” Mobile Astrobiology Station

Jon Lyons