The National Space Society invites you to the next Space Forum
Thursday, May 21, 2026, 8:00 pm to 9:15 pm EST
NOTE NEW TIME!
Return to Launch:
Florida and America’s Space Industry
With special guest
Stephen C. Smith
Space Historian and Author
The National Space Society invites you to a special Space Forum with Stephen C. Smith, author of Return to Launch: Florida and America’s Space Industry. Smith’s new work is the first book to systematically trace how Florida’s “second space age” reshaped the U.S. space program and helped usher in today’s commercially driven, reusable launch era.
Drawing on nearly eight decades of Florida space activity, Smith’s book examines how Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and Kennedy Space Center have evolved from government-dominated launch operations into a dynamic ecosystem that now includes NASA, the Department of Defense, SpaceX, and a growing commercial launch industry. The book connects major policy decisions to Space Coast impacts, including the retirement of the Space Shuttle, the cancellation of Constellation, and the rise of Commercial Cargo and Commercial Crew as turning points in American spaceflight.
For this NSS Space Forum, Smith will talk about how grassroots space advocates in east-central Florida influenced their state government to create a “space chamber of commerce.” Their vision and advocacy led to public and private partnerships that now dominate civilian and military space launch activities. It wasn’t easy. Many times, pettiness and parochialism nearly sabotaged the “NewSpace” era at the Cape. Smith will discuss the obstacles they faced, how other states have faced similar obstacles, and recommend what hazards space advocates can avoid trying to steer future space policies.
This forum will be especially valuable for those interested in space policy, advocacy, and the practical levers of change. Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of why Florida emerged as the center of the modern U.S. launch enterprise and what lessons this history offers for future grassroots space activism. As an added bonus, four attendees will receive autographed copies of Return to Launch as virtual door prizes
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Stephen C. Smith is a child of the Apollo era, having grown up in Southern California when the region’s economy was deeply tied to both military and civilian aerospace. He witnessed firsthand the industry layoffs of the early 1970s as the conclusion of Project Apollo coincided with the era of détente between the United States and the Soviet Union.
Following a career in public policy and political consulting, Stephen and his wife, Carol, relocated to Florida’s Space Coast to become part of the next generation of American spaceflight. For ten years, he worked at the Kennedy Space Center, delivering educational lectures, leading public and private tours, and escorting retired astronauts. During that time, he had a front-row seat to the emergence of the NewSpace era, as NASA and the Department of Defense transitioned from government-operated launch systems to commercial launch services—driving down costs, encouraging innovation, and reshaping the U.S. aerospace industry.
Stephen retired in 2021 to write about these experiences, drawing not only from his own observations but also from the many questions posed by the public during his decade at KSC. His new book, Return to Launch: Florida and America’s Space Industry, explores the transformation of America’s space program and the rise of the modern commercial space industry on Florida’s Space Coast. While this is his first academic publication, he has worked as a freelance writer for many years.
Stephen earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of California, Riverside in 1978 and a master’s degree in public administration from California State University, Long Beach in 1985.
Register today to reserve your seat and ask your questions. Use the link below.
Register no later than May 21 at 7 pm EST
