Explore Worlds
Find Life
Defend Earth
Space for Everyone
SPACE FOR EVERYONE
PEOPLE. PASSION. PLANETS.
You’re an explorer. You come from a long line of explorers. Together, we are a community of explorers.
Our ancestors – your ancestors – were the humans who ventured far from home, climbed over the next hill, and sailed beyond the horizon. That’s why you’re with The Planetary Society. Together, we are advancing space exploration. Together, we are more influential and more powerful than any one individual can be. Together, we are shaping humankind’s future in space.
We call this strategic framework Space for Everyone. It’s our commitment to you, the explorer. In it we outline our priorities for organizational decision making through 2024 and beyond. In the coming months and years, you can expect more opportunities to participate in the great adventure of space. If we search for and discover life on another world, if we deflect a streaking asteroid before it impacts Earth, if we find out more about our origin and place among the stars, it will not be one individual that makes these things happen. It will be a society of people who believe that space exploration is a worthy use of our intellect and treasure. By harnessing our collective passion, we can change the course of history.
Your passion and support for the mission of The Planetary Society will ensure the organization continues to develop and thrive, maintaining the momentum we’ve built over the last few years. We believe that space exploration is for everyone, and my colleagues and I work each and every (Earth) day to find ways to connect and involve more of you. We also work to ensure that The Planetary Society is an open, welcoming community with space for everyone who has a passion or interest in worlds beyond Earth.
I claim that the spirit of exploration is deep within us. You, like the explorers before you, feel joy and excitement in exploring the unknown, and delight in discovery. I’m honored to be your CEO as we make this journey together. Together, dare I say it, we can change the worlds.
BILL NYE
Chief Executive Officer
The Planetary Society
VISION
KNOW THE COSMOS
and our place within it
JPL-Caltech, SwRI, and MSSS provided the JunoCam instrument to NASA’s Juno mission to take photos for the public. The JunoCam team worked with Planetary Society staff to engage the international image processing community, including Seán Doran and Planetary Society member Gerald Eichstädt, who processed this photo of Jupiter’s northern latitudes.
MISSION
Empower the world’s citizens to advance space science and exploration
VALUES
PASSION
We are fervent supporters of space exploration. We deliver our very best in all we do to advance our mission, and we hold ourselves accountable for results.
CREDIBILITY
We are an honest broker of information and a trusted steward of resources. Our stakeholders trust us.
OPTIMISM
We bring a positive outlook and attitude to all that we do. Our work is visionary, solution seeking, and empowering.
INTEGRITY
We conduct our work in accordance with the highest standards of professional behavior and scientific principles.
EFFECTIVENESS
Our work produces intended results. We know our strengths and how to leverage them.
INCLUSION
Our community is strengthened by its diversity of talents and perspectives. We foster mutual respect and a sense of belonging for all people in our work.
OUR APPROACH
WE BELIEVE
That the future of space exploration depends on public support and participation.
Data for this image came from the Curiosity mission’s science cameras, operated by NASA, JPL-Caltech, and MSSS. The rubbly hill is part of the Murray buttes, named for Planetary Society founder Bruce Murray. Artist Seán Doran added in a figure of an astronaut to provide a sense of scale and wonder.
Working together, we:
ADVOCATEWe shape space policy and fight for future exploration. We will:- Empower space advocates to take action by providing resources and opportunities.
- Advocate for a NASA budget that supports a robust program of scientifically motivated planetary exploration by humans and robots.
- Develop and promote new space policy solutions.
COLLABORATEWe cultivate a worldwide movement for space. We will:- Engage our network of global members, volunteers, and partners.
- Harness opportunities to connect experts, decision makers, influencers, and advocates.
EDUCATEWe expand public knowledge about space. We will:- Create accessible educational content.
- Help the scientific community inform the public.
- Help citizens educate others.
INNOVATEWe invest in innovative space science and technology. We will:- Provide citizens with opportunities to participate in space science and technology projects.
- Improve the quality and quantity of space science and technology projects in which citizens can participate.
- Provide funding to innovative new science and technology projects.
GOALS 2019-2024
ADVANCE OUR CORE ENTERPRISES
For nearly 4 decades, The Planetary Society has been committed to advancing planetary exploration, planetary defense, and the search for life beyond Earth.
Over the next 5 years, we will magnify this dedication by focusing efforts and resources around these core enterprises.
Increase discoveries about the worlds of our solar system and beyond.
STRATEGY
- Build public support for planetary science and exploration.
- Encourage decision makers to prioritize continual progression of human and robotic exploration.
- Support scientific and technological advances in planetary exploration.
Elevate the search for life as a space exploration priority.
STRATEGY
- Advocate for the exploration of worlds that could harbor life.
- Promote a broad approach to the search for life in our solar system and beyond.
- Support scientific efforts dedicated to detecting and understanding exoplanets.
Decrease the risk of Earth being hit by an asteroid or comet.
STRATEGY
- Help observers find, track, and characterize near-Earth asteroids and comets.
- Support the development of asteroid mitigation technology.
- Collaborate with the professional community and decision makers to develop international response strategies to defend Earth from an asteroid or comet threat.
GOALS 2019-2024
GROW OUR COMMUNITY
We will invest in mission-aligned strategic growth areas to build a community that is increasingly large, empowered, and international.
We will enhance the member experience, continue to be a premier source of high-quality space information, and engage more people across our pale blue dot.
OBJECTIVE
Strengthen our member community.
STRATEGY
- Provide a top-quality member experience.
- Connect our members with each other.
- Provide meaningful opportunities to have an impact.
OBJECTIVE
Increase public knowledge about space.
STRATEGY
- Provide accessible space information and expertise that appeals to diverse audiences.
- Create resources and tools to help citizens educate others.
- Inspire young people to develop a passion for space exploration.
OBJECTIVE
Increase international participation.
STRATEGY
- Provide resources for global outreach.
- Create programs and activities relevant to international audiences.
- Cultivate relationships with international partners.
GOALS 2019-2024
ENSURE ORGANIZATIONAL EXCELLENCE
In all that we do, we strive to be the world’s largest, most respected, most effective citizen space organization.
In the coming years, we will focus on the resilience of the organization, including improving data infrastructure, diversifying revenue sources, and developing our long-term endowment to maximize our positive impact.
OBJECTIVE
Increase capacity.
STRATEGY
- Build sustainable, scalable systems.
- Secure diverse, reliable funding to support increased programs and activities.
- Invest in strategic growth goals of increasing membership, educational reach, and international development.
OBJECTIVE
Build reputation.
STRATEGY
- Cultivate high-impact relationships to advance our mission.
- Earn recognition for excellence.
- Provide valuable insights and resources to professional communities, decision makers, and the media.
OBJECTIVE
Improve effectiveness.
STRATEGY
- Build a culture of evaluation.
- Invest in organizational resilience.
- Prioritize opportunities for citizen action in support of space.
LET'S GO!
On behalf of The Planetary Society’s Board and staff, thank you for being a space explorer. We need you and others like you who are passionate and ready to take action to support space exploration.
We believe that space is for everyone: that everyone, everywhere yearns to know the cosmos and our place within it. We also believe that public involvement is the key to robust, long-term, international space exploration. This is the vision your Planetary Society staff works toward each and every day as we pursue our mission to empower the world’s citizens to advance space science and exploration.
We are proud of everything we’ve accomplished together over the last 39 years, and we’re poised to pursue even greater aspirations. We can’t do it without you. Working together, we’ll build on the firm foundation of the organization’s history, leverage recent successes to gain momentum, and launch this public movement for space to new heights. Let’s go!
- Chairman of the Board DANIEL T. GERACI Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Cygnus Investment Partners
- President JAMES BELL Professor, School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University
- Vice President HEIDI HAMMEL Executive Vice President, Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy
- Chief Executive Officer BILL NYE Science Educator
- Secretary WALLACE HOOSER Associate Professor of Radiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical School
- Treasurer LON LEVIN President and CEO GEOshare LLC
- BETHANY EHLMANN Professor, California Institute of Technology; Research Scientist, Jet Propulsion Laboratory
- JOHN LOGSDON Professor Emeritus, Space Policy Institute, The George Washington University
- ROBERT PICARDO Actor
- BRITNEY SCHMIDT Assistant Professor School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology
- BIJAL “BEE” THAKORE Regional Coordinator for Asia Pacific, Space Generation Advisory Council
- FILLMORE WOOD Vice President and Regional Counsel, BP, retired
- CARL SAGAN 1934–1996
- BRUCE MURRAY 1931–2013
- LOUIS D. FRIEDMAN Executive Director Emeritus
- BUZZ ALDRIN
- ROBERT D. BRAUN
- DAVID BRIN
- G. SCOTT HUBBARD
- GARRY E. HUNT
- BRUCE JAKOSKY
- RYAN JOHNSON
- CHARLES E. KOHLHASE JR.
- BEN LAMM
- LAURIE LESHIN
- JON LOMBERG
- ROSALY LOPES
- BOB MCDONALD
- PETE SLOSBERG
- TIM SPAHR
- DIPAK SRINIVASAN
- KEVIN STUBE
- LORNE TROTTIER
- NEIL DeGRASSE TYSON
