More from the National Space Society about their Roadmap to Space Settlement (see earlier posting):

Newly Illustrated Versions of the NSS Roadmap to Space Settlement Now Available

A newly illustrated version of the NSS Roadmap to Space Settlement is now available in three new formats:  (1) A free downloadable PDF edition, (2) a free online full-screen flip-book edition, and (3) a quality full-color magazine-style printed edition for $9.95 (think Father’s Day?).  Some new and striking art work appears for the first time in these new editions of the NSS Roadmap. Let these artists show you some of the possible paths to space development and settlement. These new editions provide you with additional ways to read and distribute this material to help promote the NSS Vision.

Just go to nss.org/roadmap where the entire Roadmap is online in web page format with links to (1) the new downloadable PDF version, (2) the online flip-book version (use the “Read Now” link on the right), and (3) the full-color print version available for purchase.

As originally announced in Ad Astra, this Roadmap was adopted by the NSS Board of Directors in 2012, updating the original NSS Roadmap published in 2000.  We hope you will be able to attend the Roadmap track at the ISDC.

Way-station at L1 with re-usable ferries docked and ready to leave for Mars.
Art: Anna Nesterova

 ABOUT THE ROADMAP (from Ad Astra Fall 2012)

The Roadmap has two major goals: First, to inspire and having the entire sweep of future space history in an easily readable form in one’s hands is inspiring. Second, by delineating and discussing specific Milestones, to make it easier for you to formulate and advocate policies that are most likely to advance the day when the NSS Vision becomes a reality.

There are many possible paths to achieving each Milestone, and steps toward one are likely also to be steps to others. The NSS Roadmap does not predict which exact paths will be selected or in what order.

What the Roadmap does do, as you read the full text, is enable you to see (a) that there are discrete and individual steps that need to be taken, (b) that for most of the Milestones the first steps can be taken now, and (c) that those steps are reasonably achievable. To paraphrase the old maxim, journeys of millions of miles begin with simple steps.

So what do we want people to DO with this Roadmap?

• Distribute copies of the NSS Roadmap to others who already care about our space future, and to those who do not but who might get inspired.
• Understand what steps are immediately doable, and then whenever appropriate contact your local political leaders to encourage them to create the budgets and legal structures that will more quickly achieve the various near-term Milestones.
• Write responses, short or long, to space articles in your local or national media. Write rebuttals whenever our space goals are challenged as being either not desirable or not reasonably achievable. Write praises both for commentaries that support our goals and for news items reporting achievements that bring us closer to those goals. The media welcome such submissions.
• Continue your support of NSS so it can increase its efforts to achieve the various Milestones. You can do so immediately by making an additional contribution to our common cause at www.nss.org/giving/roadmap.

Delve into the Roadmap, and then do what you can to push us further along the road to space!