Space Studies Institute

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Not to be confused with Space Science Institute.
Space Studies Institute
AbbreviationSSI
Formation1977
FoundersGerard K. O'Neill
TypeSpace advocacy, 501(c)3 Education
Focus"Open the energy and material resources of space for human benefit within our lifetime"
HeadquartersMojave, California, United States
Official language
English
Key people
President and CEO Gary C Hudson; Trustee Freeman Dyson[1]
Websitessi.org

Space Studies Institute is a not-for-profit[2] organization that was founded in 1977 by Princeton University Professor Gerard K. O'Neill.

In 2009 SSI moved its operations from its long-term base in Princeton, New Jersey, to Mojave, California.[3] SSI is involved in several initiatives, including a solar sail project that it is developing with Carnegie Mellon University and an effort to find asteroids that could be mined for valuable materials. The use of extraterrestrial resources in space settlement has received increasing attention in recent years.[4][5][6]

The Institute has sponsored research studies on several transport systems for the development of space. Their first program was in the development of prototype mass driver systems.[7] They are also studying the use of an Orbital Transfer Vehicle as a component of space manufacturing. Other areas of research include a search for Earth-Sun Trojan asteroids, a design study of a Lunar Polar Probe to search for water and useful volatiles at the poles of the Moon, and studies of reuse of the Space Shuttle external tank. O'Neill performed a study of a large space habitat named Island Three that could house 10,000,000 people.[8]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "SSI Update December 2011". Space Studies Institute. 2011-12-28. Archived from the original on 2012-02-10. Retrieved 2011-12-31.
  2. ^ "Space Studies Institute (SSI)". Retrieved 2010-01-11.
  3. ^ Foust, Jeff (April 16, 2012). "A new "Great Enterprise" for space settlement". Space Review. Retrieved February 25, 2023.
  4. ^ Celletti, Alessandra; Locatelli, Ugo, eds. (March 5, 2014). Mathematical Models and Methods for Planet Earth. Springer Science & Business Media. p. 87. ISBN 978-3-319-02656-5. Retrieved 18 September 2017.
  5. ^ Wall, Mike (August 11, 2015). "Asteroid Mining May Be a Reality by 2025". Space.com. Retrieved 18 September 2017.
  6. ^ Maxey, Kyle. "Asteroid Mining – Who Wants to be a Trillionaire?". Engineering.com. Retrieved 18 September 2017.
  7. ^ ARNOLD, William H.; BOWEN, Stuart; COHEN, Steve; KAPLAN, David; FINE, Kevin; KOLM, Margaret; KOLM, Henry; NEWMAN, onathan; NEILL, Gerard K. O'; SNOW, William R. "Mass Drivers III: Engineering". National Space Society. Retrieved February 25, 2023.
  8. ^ Combs, Mike (June 2014). "The Space Settlement FAQ". National Space Society. Retrieved February 25, 2023.

External links[edit]

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