The Planetary Society, founded in 1980 by Carl Sagan, Bruce Murray, and Louis Friedman, is a non-governmental, non-profit organization that promotes space science and exploration. As an advocacy group, it works to increase public knowledge, shape space policy, and invest in space science and technology. The Society also sponsors projects like the LightSail solar sail and collaborates with organizations such as NASA and JAXA. Associated keywords: space advocacy, public outreach, planetary defense, SETI, solar sailing.
All verified mentions of this organization in source documents.
One chapter pairs photon momentum with The Planetary Society’s Lightsail program, which tested solar sails in orbit.
The Planetary Society says the ExoMars Rosalind Franklin mission is one of about 50 NASA science missions facing cancellation after a proposed 23% budget cut to $18.8 billion.
The Planetary Society and several members of Congress want the proposed NASA budget cuts reversed.
The Planetary Society opposes the proposed NASA budget cuts.
The Planetary Society criticized the budget proposal and said the Office of Management and Budget was out of step with bipartisan support for NASA.
As of April 2025, the Planetary Society tracker had confirmed 86 discrete NASA contract terminations with an aggregate awarded value of approximately $75 million.
The Planetary Society estimates that lunar exploration programs have accumulated about €97.2 billion in spending since 2004.
The Planetary Society expressed hope that Isaacman's leadership will stabilize and reinvigorate the US space program after a year of disruptions.
Bill Nye, CEO of The Planetary Society, stated that the proposed budget cuts would force the early termination of dozens of missions.
The Planetary Society advocates for the restoration of NASA's science budget.
Firefly's Blue Ghost lander will use PlanetVac soil sampling technology partially funded by The Planetary Society.
The Planetary Society has analyzed the FY 2026 budget request and found it to be deeply flawed.
41 individual projects are slated for termination in the 2026 budget proposal according to The Planetary Society.
The Planetary Society expressed concern over NASA's delay in committing to a Mars Sample Return path.
The Planetary Society conducted a Day of Action in Washington, D.C., during which nearly 100 members traveled to meet with members of Congress to seek increased funding for NASA science programs.
The Planetary Society characterized a $483,000,000 cut to the planetary division’s topline as effectively ensuring Mars Sample Return remains on ice for the remainder of fiscal year 2024.
The National Space Society and the Planetary Society requested at least $170,000,000 for NEO Surveyor in 2022-10-01.
The National Space Society and The Planetary Society sent a letter on 2022-06-16 asking House and Senate appropriators to reject the NEO Surveyor funding cut and fully fund the mission.
The Planetary Society’s LightSail 2 solar sail demonstration, launched in 2019, used booms to deploy its sail.
NASA’s twin Viking missions each had an orbiter and lander and had an estimated combined cost of $7,100,000,000 in $2,020 according to an analysis by The Planetary Society.