ABSTRACT
Space-related non-governmental organizations (NGOs) can range from small and local to large and global; from clubs of interested amateurs to collectives of seasoned professionals; and from politically insignificant to fairly influential. Some are relatively new, while others predate the age of space flight. In general, new groups formed and established groups increasingly turned their attention to public policy concerns in the aftermath of the Apollo programme. At that time, reduced funding and disappearing programmes put the future of space exploration and development in doubt, and there was a perceived need for action to stave off decline. Since then, organizations that have established their credibility have become valued information sources for policy-makers and, in some cases, for members of the general public as well. The broadest definition of NGOs for space would include, as the name
indicates, every space-related organization that is not part of a government. While this is conceptually simple, the immense size and diversity of the resulting community is too unwieldy for consideration unless it is divided into components of similar characteristics. Even this can be challenging, as the categories cannot avoid overlap in their goals, membership and types of activities. With this in mind, and focusing on not-for-profit organizations that are designed, at least in part, to influence space policy and strategy, this chapter frames its discussion using the following categories: non-governmental international organizations (IOs); industry and professional organizations; think tanks; space advocacy groups; and opposition groups. Each of these categories is presented in general terms and illustrated
through profiles of selected organizations in the community.1 Organizational characteristics of interest, such as a group’s purpose, history, target audience, size, geographic reach, major activities and publications, are discussed. Indications of effectiveness in influencing policy and strategy, for individual groups and for NGOs as a whole, are examined.
