Our goals include protecting the Earth’s fragile biosphere and creating a freer and more prosperous life for each generation by using the unlimited energy and material resources of space.

Our purpose is to unleash the power of free enterprise and lead a united humanity permanently into the Solar System.

[1] The foundation was founded in 1988 by space activists led by Rick Tumlinson, Bob Werb and Jim Muncy who felt that: "it was technically possible to realize their shared vision of large-scale...settlement of the inner solar system... [but] they knew this was not happening (and couldn't happen) under the status-quo centrally planned and exclusive U.S. government space program.

"[2][3] Since 2005 the foundation has relied heavily on NASA funding, including a recent $110,000 award for business competition.

Bob Werb, the foundation chairman, said "Mike Griffin knows more about space and capitalism than the last three administrators combined.

The regular members are those who provide a large amount of the volunteer work necessary to operate the projects that support the conferences and many other less obvious processes associated with a corporate office.

Projects are advocate managed activities with their own objectives, budgets, and volunteer support teams.