National Space Society

2025

Welcome to the NSS blog. Feel free to comment on any post (comments are moderated so won’t show up immediately). Contributors to the NSS Blog are unpaid volunteers. Unless specifically labeled an NSS position or press release, all blog posts represent the views of the author and not of NSS, even if written by an NSS officer.

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By Burt Dicht NSS Managing Director of Membership Every time I drive the NASA Causeway toward the National Space Society offices at the Kennedy Space...

Category: Nonfiction Review of Chapter “Putting Space to Work” by Dale Skran Title: 2025: Scenarios of US and Global Society Reshaped by Science and Technology...

The National Space Society (NSS) supports the White House’s recent Ensuring American Space Superiority executive order, a sweeping national policy directive that reaffirms the United...

By Burt Dicht NSS Managing Director of Membership Image: Earthrise from Apollo 8, taken December 24, 1968. Courtesy NASA. December occupies a unique place in...

“He’s the right person at the right time,” NSS CEO Says The National Space Society extends its congratulations to Jared Isaacman for the Senate’s vote...

Category: Nonfiction Reviewed by: Douglas G. Adler Title: Ascension: Life Lessons from the Space Shuttle Columbia Tragedy for Engineers, Managers, and Leaders Author: Steven Hirshorn...

This Space Available By Emily Carney A new video by the fantastic lunarmodule5 channel on YouTube recreates Skylab’s last moments and underscores how it held...

Category: Non-Fiction Reviewed by: John Vester Title: The Pale Blue Data Point: An Earth-Based Perspective on the Search for Alien Life Author: Jon Willis Format:...

The National Space Society invites you to the next Space Forum Thursday, December 11, 2025, 9:00 pm to 10:15 pm EST Space 2025 Year In...

Opinion by Dale Skran I’ve been writing columns on the prospects for the Space Launch System (SLS) for several years now, and one of the...

Category: Nonfiction Reviewed by: Loretta Hall Title: On a Mission: The Smithsonian History of US Women Astronauts Author: Valerie Neal Format: Hardcover/Kindle Pages: 360 pages...

Launching Our Future: The National Space Society is launching a bold new era, one designed by members, for members. We heard you. From board insights...

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Book Reviews

Lunacy

Lunacy: A Book Review Essay

This long essay defends the NSS Vision against those who, like the author of the book being reviewed, think “we shouldn’t colonize Mars or the Moon, or even vacation there.” Ben Bramble, an Australian philosopher who teaches at Australian National University, has penned a YAASS (Yet Another Anti-Space-Settlement) book. These books are multiplying like flies, so space settlement advocates must be gaining ground to generate such an abundant response.

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HOTOLSkylon

Book Review: HOTOL & Skylon: The Story of Britain’s Spaceplanes

In HOTOL & Skylon: The Story of Britain’s Spaceplanes, Rob Coppinger covers the story of both in great detail, with the reminiscences of many who played integral roles in these ambitious programs. The book shines when it captures the enthusiasm and excitement of those involved, and there are extensive quotes from many who devoted years of work on these projects.

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Out of This World

Book Review: Out of This World

Anyone seeking a short but comprehensive introduction to human spaceflight would do well to start with this book. It reviews its history, highlights the accomplishments and tragedies, and describes the equipment used. It also looks at living in space, what space travelers experience, and how they work.

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The National Space Society has just released a Position Paper on Selected Space Environmental Sustainability Issues. Below is the Conclusion section. The full paper can...

What do National Space Society members think about the future of space and how should their views help shape the priorities of NSS? Join us...

By Robin Scott NSS Chapter Middle Tennessee Space Society (MTSS) President Chuck Schlemm performs outreach, directly contacting about 560 attendees (STEM teachers, school faculty, students,...

The future depends on leaders who can collaborate across disciplines, communicate effectively, and bring diverse teams together to solve complex challenges. The National Space Society...

By Burt Dicht NSS Space Coast Correspondent Some weeks in spaceflight are just busy. This one was something more. Over a period of four days,...

By Burt Dicht NSS Space Coast Correspondent A large anvil cloud hanging over Florida’s Space Coast added some uncertainty to the final hours of the...

Applications open 1 Oct – 1 Dec, 2026 The National Space Society’s Global Space Debates is a unique, 100% virtual program that brings high school...

This long essay defends the NSS Vision against those who, like the author of the book being reviewed, think "we shouldn’t colonize Mars or the...
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