Chicago Society for Space Studies
Promoting Space Exploration For All of Us
Chicago Society for Space Studies is the largest space advocacy organization in Illinois and one of the oldest in the nation.
Our Mission
Space Education
To serve as a space education resource for the general public.
SPACE Policy
To provide input to elected officials on matters of U.S. space policy and to support policies viewed as having a posItive impact on space development.
speakers bureau
To serve as a regional center of excellence in delivering space-related educational programming to schools, museums, and other civic organizations.
public events
To host and/or sponsor public events and speakers that provide valuable space-related educational programs to the community.
We Have the Power to Impact Our Future, and We’re Doing Something About It
Those of us who have volunteered to organize, lead, conduct public outreach, and develop educational presentations are working to shape our future in space. It is our conviction that a dynamic program of space development is a key component of humanity’s ability to continue to improve our overall quality of life and standard of living. We hope that you too share our passion and that you will join us in our efforts to shape the future.
Happening Now
Space Stations, Nuclear Propulsion, and Space Elevators Meeting
The Sunday August 23, 2026 CSSS meeting features three presentations: Report on the ISEC Study “Powering the Space Elevator”, Exoplanet Probe Deceleration using Nuclear Fusion Propulsion, and the CSSS Commercial Space Station Design Cost Web App. The meeting is free and open to the public.
What’s New and Recent Activities
Space Stations, Nuclear Propulsion, and Space Elevators Meeting
The Sunday August 23, 2026 CSSS meeting features three presentations: Report on the ISEC Study “Powering the Space Elevator”, Exoplanet Probe Deceleration using Nuclear Fusion Propulsion, and the CSSS Commercial Space Station Design Cost Web App. The meeting is free and open to the public.
Space Health as Critical Infrastructure for Lunar and Mars Settlement
Making the case that human health systems must be prioritized as foundational critical infrastructure for long-term lunar and Martian settlements. Current space architectures rely too heavily on low Earth orbit practices, which are inadequate for deep space missions due to the lack of rapid evacuation, resupply, and real-time communication. To achieve sustainable habitation, autonomous medical capabilities, physiological monitoring, and behavioral design must be integrated directly into the initial engineering and habitat architectures.
Space Tourism: Beyond the Launch Pad — The Business, Branding, and Strategic Challenges of Opening Space to Humanity
Space tourism is a viable sector of the commercial space market. While it has great economic potential, the space tourism market must overcome a number of hurdles, including ticket prices, safety and regulatory risks, and environmental concerns. Success will require not just innovation but strategic branding that positions the industry as pioneers of humanity’s spacefaring future.
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A new space race has begun, and most Americans are not even aware of it. This race is not about political prestige or military power. This new race involves the whole human species in a contest against time… To save the Earth we must look beyond it, to interplanetary space. To prevent the collapse of civilization and the end of the world as we know it, we must understand that our planet does not exist in isolation.