Appointed to Seat Left Vacant by Passing of Long-Serving NSS Officer Mark Hopkins

On July 12, Gabriel Rothblatt, a longtime space settlement advocate, political figure, and successful real estate agent, was appointed to the National Space Society Board of Directors.

The seat was recently vacated by the passing of Mark Hopkins, a founder of NSS and prior to that, of the L5 Society. Hopkins served NSS for decades, formulating many of its cornerstone tenets.

Rothblatt commented, “I have long been inspired by Mark’s insistent optimism as well as his unwavering support for the human settlement of space. I recall feeling his uplifting spirit: ‘we are winning,’ he would often say. The seat left vacant by his passing, which I will do my best to fill, is a veritable library of history, science, and philosophy. I will do my utmost to honor that legacy.”

Rothblatt has a rich and diverse history in space advocacy, including having previously served as a board member of Space Frontier Foundation. He is a committed member of the NSS Voyager’s Circle, a group of high-value donors to NSS. Other roles he has filled within NSS include tenure as an NSS Regional Director and a chapter President, covering over a decade of service. Rothblatt also conducts the closing ceremonies for the Dr. Martine Rothblatt Space Settlement in Our Lifetime Competition, an annual event financed by his parent, NSS Board of Governor member and satellite communication pioneer Dr. Martine Rothblatt, awarding three cash prizes to winners of the competition.

“It is my pleasure to welcome Gabriel to the NSS Board of Directors,” said Kirby Ikin, Chair of the Board. “Having personally been involved in the latest Martine Rothblatt Space Settlement in Our Lifetime Competition myself, Gabriel’s passion for the NSS vision and mission was very clear and he brings great energy to the attainment of our goals.”

In 2014, Rothblatt contended for Florida’s 8th seat in the United States Congress, championing a platform that espoused more affordable access to space. This pioneering vision for democratizing space travel has been a cornerstone of his work ever since.

Beyond his space-focused endeavors, Gabriel has had a successful career in the commercial sector as a real estate agent and business broker with EXP Commercial, a respected developer of commercial real estate. Rothblatt is also planning a commercial spaceport development, a challenge that will merge his real estate acumen with his passion for space development.

Of his future in NSS, Rothblatt commented, “We do not all need to agree on how to specifically advance humanity’s horizon in space—we merely need to agree that it is necessary and inevitable that we do so for the good of humanity.” Anita Gale, NSS CEO, added, “I am delighted to welcome a good friend and stalwart ally of NSS to the NSS Board of Directors. With new leaders like Gabriel, NSS has a bright future.”