Join NSS and the Alliance for Space Development in our 2020 March Storm congressional advocacy blitz, March 15th – 19th in Washington D.C.!
Are you passionate about the continuation and growth of human space activity? Do you want to see the continued progress of space programs and policies? Are you willing to travel to Washington D.C.? Check out our March Storm event!
Attendees are asked to commit to attending the training day on Sunday the 15th and a minimum of one day of Congressional visits between Monday and Thursday, March 16th to 19th. Many pick Monday as to not miss work or school, but you can pick what works for your schedule. Of course, you can come all four days. You must also be a U.S. citizen to participate.
March Storm is the premiere citizen-run space advocacy event of the year. From March 15th – 19th, join fellow space enthusiasts from around the country to advocate for the 2020 Citizens’ Space Agenda. Developed by the Alliance for Space Development, our policy points were developed by our member organizations including the National Space Society, Space Frontier Foundation, Students for the Exploration and Development of Space, and many others. This year, the Alliance will advocate for three policy points:
- Support planetary defense by funding NASA’s NEOSM mission.
- Start developing and demonstrating Space Solar Power (SSP)
- Make space development and settlement part of NASA’s, the Department of Transportation’s, and the Office of Space Commerce’s official mission statement.
Two of these points are a continuation of our previous efforts, which have made great strides in the past year. With NASA’s new focus on planetary defense from the public’s interest, the previously advocated NEOCAM mission has been moved to a new mission called NEOSM. This could likely be the year we see full funding of this mission and a success on our part. Similar to last year, we will also continue our campaign to make space development and settlement part of these agencies’ missions.
This year we are beginning a new campaign on Space Solar Power (SSP). SSP refers to the collection of the sun’s energy in the space environment, then beaming that energy for collection on the Earth’s surface. After a discussion with representatives from ASD member organizations, we believe our country’s capabilities with space access, solar power, and energy transfer have reached a level where we can begin looking at an SSP program. With increasingly cheaper access to orbit and a growing need for energy across the globe, this program could pave the way to U.S. dominance in LEO. Several agencies, companies, and international competitors have begun their own research into SSP programs.
This March Storm comes at a critical time. The House via H.R. 5666 is pushing back against space commercialization and development, effectively removing the usage of lunar resources from Artemis, requiring the government to own and operate lunar landers, and making sure that Artemis is limited to flags and footprints. Your presence in DC during March Storm will make a difference at this critical juncture.
The March Storm event will begin with a mandatory training session on Sunday, March 15th. This training will make any citizen an expert on our policy points, how to advocate to congressional staffers, and lead to a strong showing by citizens from across the country. This will be followed by four days of congressional meetings in Senate and House of Representatives offices. Led by members with previous advocacy experience, we ensure that each of our meetings will have the highest success rate possible.
MARCH STORM 2020
When:
March 15-19
Time:
9 am to 5 pm
Where:
Sunday, March 15
Holiday Inn Arlington At Ballston
4610 Fairfax Drive
Arlington, VA 22203
*Mandatory Training*
Monday through Thursday, March 16-19
Congressional Visits at Capitol Hill Offices
*One Day Minimum Commitment*
Hosted By:
The Alliance for Space Development (ASD)
The National Space Society (NSS)
The Space Frontier Foundation (SFF)
Questions?
Share hotel and flight information,
Coordinate ride-shares
Network prior to the event
Please use #MarchStorm20 on all social media posts
