About Friends of NASA


Image Credit: NASA’s Earth Observatory


Friends of NASA:
We are an independent non-governmental organization (NGO). 

Our Mission: 
We are dedicated to
building international support for peaceful space exploration, commerce, scientific discovery and STEM education.

Friends of NASA Motto:

"For the Benefit of All!"



Founded in 2008, Friends of NASA has over 20,000 professional members worldwide and 165,000+ public followers on 
Facebook, Twitter and Instagram combined. Our shared multimedia content has received over 700 million views (Google verified) and counting! Our public education work has been recognized by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL-Caltech), the United Nations, the American Physical Society (APS), the National Space Society (NSS), the National Aeronautic Association (NAA), the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI), the Southwest Research Institute (SWRI), NOIRLab (AURA/NSF), Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, the National Science Teaching Association (NSTA), the National Park Service (NPS), the Government of Singapore, the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (RASC), the Canadian Space Society, the German Aerospace Center (DLR), Google (Alphabet Inc.) and LinkedIn (Microsoft).

Our membership includes international civil space agency officials, government representatives, engineers, scientists, aviation/aerospace/space professionals, business leaders, academics, graduate students, educators, science writers, and concerned private citizens of influence from over 50 countries around the world. Global leaders in the aerospace/space industries are represented.

Astronaut members include: 
Moonwalker Charles Duke (NASA), E. Michael Fincke (NASA),  Rick Mastracchio (NASA), Rick Hieb (NASA), Ed Gibson (NASA-Skylab), Scott Tingle (NASA), Charles Camarda (NASA), Susan Still Kilrain (NASA), Mike Fossum (NASA), Chris Hadfield (CSA), Robert Thirsk (CSA), Naoko Yamazaki (JAXA) [Japan's second woman in space], Soyeon Yi (Korea’s 1st astronaut), Patrick Baudry (CNES), Claude Nicollier (ESA), Thomas Pesquet (ESA), and Australian Astronaut Candidate Katherine Bennell-Pegg (ASA).

Friends of NASA was founded in 2008 by Executive Director, Dwayne Elliot Lawrence, in honor of the 50th anniversary of NASA’s establishment on July 29th, 1958 by U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower. 

Friends of NASA is headquartered in Montreal, Quebec in Canada close to the Canadian Space Agency (CSA). We work in cooperation with government agencies and non-profit organizations, including the Canadian Space Society (CSS)

We do not receive funding from NASA or the U.S. government.

Testimonials
"Your organization, 'Friends of NASA,' serves as a vital link between NASA, academia, and the private aerospace community."
—Joseph A. Sholtis
Founder & Principal, Sholtis Engineering & Safety Consulting 

International Specialties:

Space, Science & Technology Policy
Space Commerce Policy

Science, Technology, Engineering, Math (STEM) Education
Research
Space Advocacy

Human Resources




Founded in 1958, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is the agency of the United States government responsible for the country's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research.

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