161 meetings. 115 members. 28 states. 1 Day of Action.

Soggy weather did not deter members of The Planetary Society from descending upon the U.S. capitol for our annual Day of Action last Monday. Having traversed the country on their own dime, our members boldly went from meeting to congressional meeting, advocating for investments in planetary exploration, planetary defense, and the search for life.

Even after some last-minute cancellations, the attendance for the 2020 Day of Action was our largest ever, representing a 22% growth over the previous year. We met representatives and lawmakers from 161 congressional offices. In addition, nearly a thousand messages were sent to Congress by Planetary Society advocates around the country who had pledged to take action.

Our members came from 28 different states. They were young and old. Some fondly remember Apollo, while many have never seen humans depart low-Earth orbit. Some were scientists or engineers, though the vast majority were just fans of space. But they were all united by core beliefs: that space science and exploration are important. That it is worth doing. That it benefits the nation and the world.

It is a testament to their commitment that these individuals used their time and resources to come to Washington, D.C. and advocate for space. It's not only impressive—it's inspiring. It's the essence of The Planetary Society. We came together to do the hard work of advancing space science and exploration. Together we were stronger than we were apart.

Thank you to all of the members who joined us in 2020.