|
SPACE COLONIES by H. Hilliard Gastfriend |
With more than 25,000 members worldwide, the NSS ranks as one of the largest nonprofit organizations devoted to the exploration and colonization of space. Professionally maintained Website contains a vast amount of space-related information and educational materials, including SPACE (for space, planetary, and astronomical cyber-experiences), the absolutely best site for linking with other cyberbased space interest groups.
Founded by true space colonization visionary, the late Dr. Gerald K. O'Neill, in 1977, this nonprofit seeks collaborative ventures and partnerships among government agencies, industry, and individuals. Probably the most politically astute and positioned organization in the field.
SFF considers itself the most "radical" of all space-related organizations. The all-volunteer organization seeks to open space to exploration and wants to replace the current American space program with an agency that will work more aggressively and intelligently toward that goal.
4. First Millennial Foundation
A highly developed philosophical mission statement--that proposes to first colonize "inner space," the Earths oceans, with 12,000 floating islands, before expanding into outer space--separates this organization from some of the others. It also maintains an electronic magazine entitled Distant Star as a forum to discuss and disseminate their views.
5. P.E.R.M.A.N.E.N.T, Projects to Employ Resources of the Moon and Asteroids Near Earth in the Near Term.
How can the high cost of space exploration be reduced? How about using existing space materials instead of Earth-based resources? This group seeks to introduce potential investors, engineers, journalists, and the general public to openly commercialize space by using available space materials, such as asteroids, comets, and lunar material.
Also see. . .International Space Exploration and Colonization Company, a small, Fairbanks-based group conducting biosphere-like research; Institute for Teleoperated Space Development, a group dedicated to developing unmanned robots for space exploration; Island One Society , a loose, nonmembership organization, seeking all interested parties to contribute whatever talents they possess to help develop societies beyond Earth.
H. Hilliard Gastfriend, yet another bozo on this bus, freelances on science, education, technology, and medical topics from Stone Mountain, Georgia.