2023 Digital Day of Action recap

The Planetary Society held our first Digital Day of Action this week, and it was a clear success. Members and supporters from nearly every state in the union took a total of more than 1,500 advocacy actions, helping us push past our goal of 1,000 advocates writing Congress to help save the VERITAS mission to Venus.

The Digital Day of Action was the first test of a new annual event: a day where any member of The Planetary Society, anywhere, can advocate for space at a level commensurate with their comfort and according to their own schedule. We prepared an advocacy toolkit with detailed talking points, shareable images, and letters to Congress, and held our first digital “prep rally” in our online member community, featuring Society leadership, staff, and special science guests. Members joined from around the world to learn how to be more effective advocates for space.

The digital event pairs with our in-person Day of Action, which returns to Washington, D.C. this September. From feedback we received during our COVID-mandated virtual Days of Action in the past few years, we learned that many of our members face financial, logistical, or physical challenges that prevent them from traveling. This new event is a way to provide effective space advocacy options for those members, as well as those who wish to join us in Washington, D.C.

Independent advocacy is one of the most important activities we do here, but it means nothing without our dedicated members who take the time to engage their representatives in support of planetary exploration, planetary defense, and the search for life. As the Digital Day of Action grows and we continue our in-person work in Washington, D.C., we will continue to advance space science and exploration.