The Planetary Society
Verified working Aug 19, 2026
Space education, policy advocacy, and citizen-backed exploration projects.
The Planetary Society is a member-funded nonprofit focused on advancing space science, exploration, the search for life, and planetary defense. Its website combines public learning resources with advocacy tools, project updates, podcasts, images, courses, and ways to support or participate in space policy campaigns.
Why it stands out
- Combines science education with direct civic advocacy rather than only publishing space news.
- Organized around clear mission areas: exploring worlds, searching for life, and defending Earth from impacts.
- Has a track record of member-funded space technology work, including the LightSail solar-sailing project.
- Offers multiple public engagement paths, from casual learning to volunteering, membership, and policy campaigns.
- Founded in 1980 with a recognizable public-science legacy tied to Carl Sagan and Bill Nye.
Good to know
- Member benefits and some community opportunities require paid membership or donations.
- The site reflects the priorities of an advocacy nonprofit, not a neutral government space agency.
- Some embedded video content depends on third-party services and marketing-cookie consent.
Photos
Space enthusiasts, teachers, and citizen advocates can use it to learn about space and take concrete policy action. Follow updates on missions, planets, asteroid defense, and the search for life. Find kid-friendly space materials, articles, videos, images, and online courses. Join or donate to support nonprofit space advocacy and selected projects. Use the Action Center to contact decision-makers about NASA science funding and related issues.
Articles, Planetary Radio episodes, space images, videos, courses, kids’ resources, mission and topic pages, membership options, donation campaigns, project updates, policy position pages, email updates, and an advocacy Action Center.
Alternative listings
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- National Space Society — nss.org
- The Mars Society — marssociety.org
- SETI Institute — seti.org
- Space Foundation — spacefoundation.org