Education & Public Outreach

We believe the future of space exploration depends on public support and participation.

Our Approach

At the heart of every space mission launched and cosmic discovery made is public support for space exploration. Without it, governments would have little incentive to prioritize space exploration programs. Citizens who understand the importance of knowing our cosmos are favorable of politicians who support ambitious space programs and will stand up to defend space funding when it is threatened.

Even the commercial space sector relies on a strong foundation of publicly-funded space activities and business-friendly space policies to allow for the foundation and growth of commercial programs. With governments still at the heart of space exploration programs, the public plays a significant role in global activities in space.

The Planetary Society's Education and Public Outreach program:

• Creates accessible educational content
• Helps the scientific community inform the public
• Helps citizens educate others

Our program's approach is to expand public knowledge of space exploration so that it continues to earn wide public support for decades to come.

"[W]e are told that, although the arguments for planetary exploration are widely understood in government, they are not supported by the people. We are told that spending money on planetary exploration – on the discovery of where we are, who we are, what our history and fate may be – is unpopular, that it is a political liability to support such ventures.

...And yet there is evidence of enormous support and enthusiasm for the exploration of the planets. We can see it in the popularity of motion pictures and television programs on planetary themes; in the topics discussed in the burgeoning set of science fact magazines, and in the success with which on this subject have recently been greeted.”

—Carl Sagan

The Adventure of the Planets

The Planetary Report, 1 December 1980

How You Can Help

Getting the public excited about space starts with you! It's as easy as showing someone the Pale Blue Dot image for the first time, sharing a mindblowing video of space, or keeping your friends informed of the latest space news. 

Take Action

Want to do something right now? Our Action Center shows you the most impactful things you can do to advance our mission, including toolkits to help you teach others about space. 

Educate Yourself

By learning more about space and how we explore it, you are equipping yourself to get other people excited about the cosmos. And when you do that, you're growing a global community of people who support exploration. We provide the tools you need to learn all about our place in space. 

Stay Informed

With space agencies, private companies, and even non-profits like us exploring space, there's a lot to keep track of. 

Our weekly email newsletter, The Downlink, brings you the most important and exciting events so you can stay on top of the news. And check out our latest articles to learn even more about the latest in space exploration. 

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