John Spencer, is a space architect/designer, founder and president of the Space Tourism Society (STS), and author with Karen L. Rugg of the first book on space tourism published in the U.S. titled Space Tourism: Do You Want to Go? (Apogee Books, 2004), in which he pioneers the application of yachting and cruise ship industry models to space tourism.

John is an explorer in what he calls the "Design Frontier" and is a pioneer in the growing field of immersive space themed simulation experiences for location-based entertainment and vacations including his original concept and design of Space World built in Japan and current proposals including a Mars Resort and Spa and Mars Adventure Camp. These kinds of projects can stimulate interest in space tourism, exploration, and development with people outside the space community.

In 1995 he was awarded the Space Act Award and the Certificate of Recognition from NASA for innovative architectural design on the International Space Station. He also created the first interior designs on the SpaceHab Module which has flown into orbit over a dozen times.

John designed the interiors for the Aquarius Underwater Laboratory, built in 1984 by NOAA. For the National Science Foundation, he and his team provided all the design work for an Antarctic Science Base assembled in 1985 and 1986.

He has been quoted in The Wall Street Journal, Scientific American, Space News, Popular Science, Men's Journal, and the Los Angeles Times. He has appeared on the Today Show, CNN, ABC, CBS News, the Discovery Channel, PBS, Japanese NHK, and The Learning Channel. He has professional and masters degrees in architecture from the Southern California Institute of Architecture.

John has been involved with pioneering the space frontier since the late 1970's and with NSS since it was merged with the L5 Society.  He has chaired or co-chaired or co-produced NSS events including the successful STS/NSS "ORBIT Awards" dinner with George Whitesides at the 2006 ISDC in Los Angeles, and a major fund raiser for NSS in 1989 at Paramount Studios on the sets of "Star Trek: The Next Generation," and has steered hundreds of people to NSS.