The society's vision is: "People living and working in thriving communities beyond the Earth, and the use of the vast resources of space for the dramatic betterment of humanity.

The Board of Directors provides day-to-day operational oversight for the organization, and the Board of Governors provide strategic oversight and advisory to the Directors in the form of recommendations and guidance with respect to the broad strategies, overall policies, objectives, and goals of the Society.

[7] The Society publishes a magazine Ad Astra, which appears quarterly in print and electronic form.

[8] The society hosts an annual International Space Development Conference (ISDC) held in major cities throughout the United States, often during or close to the Memorial Day weekend.

As listed in each quarterly issue of Ad Astra, a large number of NSS chapters exist around the world.

The chapters may serve a local area such as a school, city or town, or have a topical or special interest focus, such as a rocketry or astronomy club, or educational/community outreach program.

It was decided in late 1989 to create the National Space Society of Australia (NSSA) which could act as an umbrella organization Similar efforts have taken hold in Brazil, Canada, and Mexico, as well as European countries that have a strong aerospace presence.