What It Means to Become a Member of The Planetary Society

Becoming a member of The Planetary Society means joining a member-funded nonprofit as a recurring supporter, with monthly tiers listed at $4, $10, $20, or $40. Your membership helps fund the organization's work in space science and exploration, and it connects you to updates, tools, and opportunities to take part in space advocacy. It is a form of ongoing participation rather than a one-time donation.

Who The Planetary Society Is

The Planetary Society describes itself as the largest and most effective nonprofit organization promoting space exploration through education, advocacy, and related work. It was co-founded by Carl Sagan in 1980 and is member-funded.

Its stated mission centers on three core enterprises:

• Explore Worlds — increase discoveries about the worlds of our Solar System and beyond.
• Find Life — elevate the search for life as a space exploration priority.
• Defend Earth — decrease the risk of Earth being hit by an asteroid or comet.

What Membership Supports

Because the organization is member-funded, membership is one of the ways it sustains its work. The site frames member support around advancing space science and exploration, including policy and advocacy efforts.

The organization lists current advocacy positions on issues such as Mars sample return, increasing NASA science funding, advocating for NEO Surveyor, flexibility for Artemis procurement and partnerships, and elevating the search for life beyond Earth.

What Members Get

The site presents membership as a way to "find your place in space" and to join what it calls the world's largest and most effective space advocacy movement, with Chief Ambassador Bill Nye. Member-facing elements mentioned on the page include:

• Updates and tools — a sign-up option for updates, weekly tools, and exclusive opportunities to support space exploration.
• Advocacy participation — space policy and advocacy content and actions.
• Member events — a listed "2026 Member Roundtable Tour."
• Content access — featured stories, articles, and Planetary Radio.

You can opt out of communications at any time, and the site links to its Privacy Policy.

Membership Tiers

The page lists monthly membership amounts:

The available materials do not specify what differs between tiers, so no additional benefits should be assumed beyond what is listed.

Membership vs. Donating

The page presents membership and donating as separate actions:

• Membership is a recurring monthly commitment at one of the listed tiers.
• Donating appears under a featured fundraising campaign, "You Power the Next Great Discovery!," which asks for a gift to fund future scientific research.

If you want ongoing involvement and a recurring role in supporting the organization, membership fits that description. If you want to make a one-time or campaign-specific contribution, the donation route is the one shown.

A Separate Promotion

The page also features a sweepstakes: a chance to win a 10-day total solar eclipse expedition in Egypt. It notes a promo code, EGYPT25, for 25% additional entries. This is a sweepstakes entry, not a membership benefit, and should not be confused with joining.

What to Check Before Joining

• Confirm the current tier amounts on the site, since listed prices can change.
• Decide whether recurring support matches your intent, given that membership is monthly.
• Review the Privacy Policy if you plan to subscribe to updates.
• Look for tier-specific details if you want to know whether higher tiers include additional benefits; the available page content does not describe them.