National Space Society Corporate Documents

This portal page links to the latest versions of the governing and legal documents of the National Space Society (NSS). The documents are in Adobe Acrobat PDF format. Where applicable, the documents are listed in order of precedence.

Document Title / Last Revision	Summary of Contents
NSS Bylaws October 2017	Defines the long-term Objectives of the Society and establishes the top-level organizational structure and procedures for membership, chapters, and governance.
NSS Procedural Rules May 2017	Further defines the procedures for official votes by the NSS Board of Directors and membership.
NSS Campaign Rules October 2016	Further defines the responsibilities and procedures for NSS members who want to serve on the elected NSS Board of Directors.
NSS Nominations and Elections Committee Rules October 2016	Further defines the responsibilities and procedures for the NSS committees involved with the NSS Board of Directors elections.
NSS Chapter Rules October 2005	Further defines the responsibilities and procedures for local NSS chapters and Society-level Coordinators.
NSS Non-Discrimination Policy July 2014	Adopted by the NSS Board of Directors: “The National Space Society shall not discriminate against or for individuals because of race, sex, religion, age, ethnicity, sexual orientation or national origin.”
NSS Corporate Policies February 2018	Further defines titles and responsibilities for NSS Officers (especially the "four Vice Presidents" in the bylaws) and the operating committees they oversee, as well as other top-level policies of the Society.
NSS Privacy Policy March 2010	Web page version of the NSS Privacy Policy. The common NSS Web page footer contains a link to this Privacy Policy Web page.
Strategic Planning Documents
NSS Statement of Philosophy May 2007	Defines the approved Vision and Mission statements of the Society, as well as the official Rationale, Principle, and Beliefs governing its actions.
NSS Strategic Plan May 2011	Defines the Five-Year Goals and short-term Organizational (external) and Operational (internal) Objectives of the Society. Includes background information and rationale for the Objectives. Also includes the NSS Strategic Implementation Plan, defining the set of approved Initiatives for meeting the Objectives defined in the Strategic Plan.
The Barriers to Space Settlement May 2002	Lists and describes the 15 identified barriers to the human settlement of space; some of which have been partially overcome in the time since 2002.
NSS Envisioned Milestones to Space Settlement May 2003	Lists and describes the major milestones that NSS envisions will be passed on the road to human settlement beyond the Earth.
Historical NSS Documents
NSS Public Finance Documents 1997 - 2014	Separate Web page listing NSS Public Finance documents, including IRS Form 990 and Independent Auditors' Reports.
NSS Annual Reports 2009 & 2014	National Space Society Annual Reports
NSS IRS Tax and Group Exemption 16 September 1996	Confirmation letter from the IRS of the tax-exemption status granted to the National Space Society, and to its subordinante organizations (i.e., NSS chapters) via a Group Exemption Letter effective June 1974.
NSS Articles of Incorporation 1987	Post-merger Articles of Incorporation of the National Space Society.
NSS Merger Proclamation 28 March 1987	Establishes the National Space Society via the merger of the National Space Institute and the L5 Society.