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| Founded | October 30, 1980 |
|---|---|
| Founder | Peter Diamandis,Robert D. Richards, andTodd B. Hawley |
| Type | Student Organization |
| Focus | "to promote the exploration and development of space" |
| Origins | Started at MIT and expanded by letter toOmni magazine |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Method | Student Collaboration and Connections with Space Companies |
| Members | 10,000+ |
Key people | Sara Alvarado (current SEDS-USA Chair), Chimira Andres (current SEDS-Canada Chair), Arjun Raizada (current SEDS-India Chair), Holly Whitehouse (current UKSEDS Chair), Aleksandar Tashkovski (current Macedonian SEDS Chair) |
| Endowment | USA: $1,290,000 |
| Website | seds.org |
Students for the Exploration and Development of Space (SEDS) is anon-profitinternational student organization whose purpose is to drivespace advocacy ofspace exploration and development through educational andengineering projects.[1]
Students for the Exploration and Development of Space was founded in 1980 atMIT by Peter Diamandis,Princeton University by Scott Scharfman, andYale University by Richard Sorkin,[2][3] and consists of an international group of undergraduate and graduate students from a diverse range of educational backgrounds and universities who are working to promote space. SEDS is a chapter-based organization with chapters inItaly,Canada,India,Israel,Mexico,Nepal,Nigeria,Philippines,South Africa,Spain,Turkey,United Kingdom,United States,Sri Lanka, and Zimbabwe. The permanent National Headquarters for SEDS-USA resides at MIT and that of SEDS-India resides atVellore Institute of Technology. Though collaboration is frequent, each branch and chapter is independent and coordinates their own activities and projects.
SEDS was founded on September 17, 1980, primarily byPeter Diamandis, Scott Scharfman, Richard Sorkin,Robert D. Richards, andTodd B. Hawley and their first meeting was held on October 30, 1980.[4] After the initial meetings in 1980, SEDS president Peter Diamandis wrote a letter to the editor ofOmni magazine deploring the status of the space program and asking students to help make a difference. The letter, published inOmni in early 1981, attracted students from around the world to SEDS. This laid the foundations for the first SEDS international conference, held atGeorge Washington University between July 15–19, 1982.[5] As the decade progressed, SEDS continued to have more international conferences, which rotated among schools includingGeorge Washington University (again),University of Alabama in Huntsville, andCaltech. During the end of the decade, UKSEDS was founded at theScience Museum (London) and held their first conference at theUniversity of Cambridge during November 25–26, 1989.[6]
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During the 1990s, SEDS continued to host a national conference each year, sometimes in conjunction with theInternational Space Development Conference through 1997, when the last "SEDS National Conference" was held (conferences would re-appear 7 years later as the "SEDS SpaceVision Conference"). UKSEDS continued to have national conferences at rotating locations each year. During the last years of the decade, there was a major decline in SEDS leadership and a connected drop in the number of member chapters around the United States.
In 2004, the SEDS National Conferences were re-established by MITSEDS and hosted on the campus of theMassachusetts Institute of Technology on November 11–14.[7] The conference was renamed the SEDS SpaceVision conference and featured many speakers who would return year after year during this decade, includingLoretta Hidalgo Whitesides, founder Dr. Robert Richards,Rick Tumlinson,George T. Whitesides,Robert Zubrin, andPete Worden. The SpaceVision conference then visitedUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2005),University of Central Florida (2006), theMassachusetts Institute of Technology (2007),Texas A&M University (2008),[8]University of Arizona (2009),University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2010),University of Colorado at Boulder (2011),University at Buffalo (2012),Arizona State University (2013),UNC Chapel Hill[9] (2014),Boston University (2015),Purdue (2016),University of Central Florida (2017),University of California, San Diego (2018),[10]Arizona State University (2019),[11] virtually for 2020,Rice University (2021),University of Chicago (2022) andGeorgetown University (2023). During this time, UKSEDS continued to have one national conference each year. SEDS India, after hosting the SEDS International conference in 2007, continued with SEDS India National Conferences every year since 2009 at Vellore Institute of Technology, India. SEDS also began exploring innovative national projects such as fund-raising for a joint SEDS chapter Zero-G flight and designing an innovative nationalRockoon competition modeled after theAnsari X PRIZE.
SEDS-USA organizes annual and rolling projects to engage its members in space-related activities. Two such projects are:
This is a competition between chapters designed to challenge students in high-power rocketry.[12] The goal of the competition is to launch a rocket, designed and built by the chapter members, to an altitude of 10,000 feet above sea-level. This competition has now successfully been running since 2011. The winner of the 2012 competition was Purdue-SEDS.
Started in 2011, this competition is co-organized with theSpace Frontier Foundation[13] and aims to provide students with a real-world experience in entrepreneurship applied to the space industry. Students are required to develop space-scalable business models that will advance theNewSpace movement and are judged by a panel of 5 experts who have had several years of experience in space entrepreneurship. The winners of the 2011 and 2012 competitions were Illinois State University[14] and Iowa State University respectively.
SEDS is organized by country, region, and chapter. There is a large contingent of SEDS chapters in theUnited States, which are governed regionally and nationally by SEDS-USA. SEDS India has nine SEDS chapters under it and is headquartered atVellore Institute of Technology.UKSEDS is composed of five regions across the United Kingdom and has its headquarters at theBritish Interplanetary Society HQ in London. There are other national sections of SEDS across the world, notably SEDS-Canada, SEDS South Africa, and SEDS Zimbabwe, which has four chapters and a junior chapter. Student leaders of the international groups convene as SEDS-Earth, the global governing body of SEDS. SEDS is an organization member of theAlliance for Space Development.[15]
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| Type | Non Profit Student Organization |
|---|---|
| Focus | "To promote the exploration and development of space." |
Area served | USA |
| Method | Student Collaboration |
| Website | http://seds.org/ |
SEDS-USA is the governing body of all chapters in the United States, and is the largest and original branch of SEDS. It is overseen by a nationalboard of directors,board of advisors, and aboard of trustees. An integral aspect of SEDS-USA is the Council of Chapters (CoC). This council consists of national representatives of each chapter and is led by the Chair of the Council of Chapters. The CoC meets via teleconference to exchange updates between individual chapters and the national board. The 2022–23 national directors of SEDS-USA are listed below.[16]
| Position | Description | Board Member |
|---|---|---|
| Chair | Preside over board and oversee decision-making process. | Audrey Scott |
| Vice-chair | Alumni and Advisers liaison. Leads fundraising efforts. | Alice Wade (University of New Hampshire) |
| Treasurer | Keep financial records and control legal and financial matters. | Rohan Gupta |
| Chair of the Council of Chapters | Conduct CoC meetings and work with SEDS-USA chapters. | Griffin Hentzen |
| Secretary | Set up meeting rooms for SEDS-USA national meetings and take minutes. | Nathan Drzadinski |
| Member At-Large (1) | Work on general tasks that require action within SEDS-USA. | Andres Permuy |
| Member At-Large (2) | Work on general tasks that require action within SEDS-USA. | Raul Mariani (Case Western Reserve) |
| Founded | 1988 |
|---|---|
| Type | Non-Profit Student Organisation |
| Focus | "To promote the exploration and development of space." |
Area served | United Kingdom |
| Method | Student Collaboration |
| Members | 1400+ |
Key people |
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| Website | UKSEDS |
UK Students for the Exploration and Development of Space (UKSEDS) is the national student space society of the United Kingdom. Established in 1988, it is dedicated to promoting the exploration and development of space by inspiring, educating, and supporting students and young professionals interested in the space industry.[17] UKSEDS provides a platform for student collaboration on space projects, organises high-profile conferences and workshops, and conducts outreach activities aimed at fostering interest in space science and engineering among young people. The organisation acts as a bridge, building strong links between students, academia, and the wider space industry, both within the UK and internationally.[18]
UKSEDS was inspired by the efforts of students who attended the firstInternational Space University (ISU)Space Studies Program held atMIT in 1988. Recognizing the potential to create a national community of space enthusiasts, these students organised a founding conference at London's Science Museum in March 1989. Later that year, a full conference was held at Cambridge University, cementing UKSEDS as a key player in the UK's space community.
In 2013, UKSEDS celebrated its 25th anniversary. Former committee members shared insights into UKSEDS’ development and contributions over the years. Dr Chris Welch, UKSEDS Chair from 1993 to 1995, recalled his initial involvement with SEDS and ISU during theInternational Astronautical Congress (IAC) in Brighton in 1987, where he met key figures likePeter Diamandis andTodd Hawley.[19]
Dr Ralph D. Lorenz, a founding committee member from 1988 to 1989, emphasised the importance of student-driven initiatives in sustaining UKSEDS amidst existing organisations like theBritish Interplanetary Society (BIS) and theRoyal Aeronautical Society (RAeS). Similarly, Richard Osborne highlighted the critical roles of Chris Welch and Mark Bentley in ensuring the organisation's continuity during challenging periods in the early 1990s.[20]
UKSEDS offers a wide range of activities designed to engage students and foster their development:
UKSEDS has undertaken numerous technical space projects, including:
UKSEDS operates under the guidance of anExecutive Committee, elected annually at the organisation's Annual General Meeting (AGM) during its flagship conference, theNational Student Space Conference (NSSC). The committee is responsible for overseeing day-to-day operations, planning events, and ensuring alignment with the organisation's goals.
In addition to the executive committee, UKSEDS is supported by aBoard of External Trustees, who are appointed for three-year terms. The trustees provide strategic oversight and ensure the organisation remains sustainable and impactful.[citation needed]
The 2024/25 Executive Committee was elected during the 36th NSSC in March 2024 and includes the following members:
| Position | Description | Executive Member |
|---|---|---|
| Chair | Presides over the board and ensures adherence to the Constitution. | Raniah Ahmed (University of Bristol) |
| Vice-chair | Supports the chair in their duties. | Divyanshi Gupta (University of Edinburgh) |
| Treasurer | Oversees financial administration. | Tanjin Huda (City, University of London) |
| Secretary | Documents Board meeting minutes and distributes materials. | Mohamed Ali (University of Hertfordshire) |
| Exec At-Large | Works on general tasks requiring action within UKSEDS. | Anna Kalapurakkal (University of Glasgow) |
| Exec At-Large | Works on general tasks requiring action within UKSEDS. | Lamyea Ahmed (University of Birmingham) |
UKSEDS collaborates with various organisations to advance its mission, including:
In 2013, UKSEDS formalised a Memorandum of Understanding with theBritish Interplanetary Society, enhancing cooperation between young members and experienced professionals.[31]
UKSEDS has had many prominent individuals serve on its executive committee, contributing to its development and influence in the space sector. Some notable past committee members include:[citation needed]
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SEDS-Canada is a federally incorporated not-for-profit organization based in Toronto, Canada, whose mandate is to advocate for the exploration and development of space through non-partisan political advocacy, conferences, student competitions, and chapter grants. The organization was initiated in early 1981 by entrepreneur Bob Richards, and it was re-established in 2014 by a group of students from theUniversity of Toronto and theUniversity of Western Ontario, after several years of inactivity. SEDS-Canada currently has eleven university chapters operating across the country.
Space Exploration and Development of Space Turkey, founded in March 2017 by Hadican Çatak atHacettepe University, is the first and only national space, and entrepreneurial organization with its 350+ active members and branches in 8 universities as of January 2019.
SEDS TR's goal is to gather all interested undergraduates, master's degree students, and doctoral students and to carry out tasks that help them improve their career prospects in their field of activity by establishing a common working platform.
In order to reach this goal, SEDS TR has been working on engineering projects, organizing events and extending its area of effect by founding SEDS organizations in universities throughout Turkey and in respect to this, SEDS is trying to make operations and work done mentioned above accessible to every other student in Turkey.[32]
The SEDS-UAE Chapter is based at theOur Own English High School in Abu Dhabi. This chapter was founded by a high school student, Nishirth Khandwala. Members of SEDS UAE engage themselves in various activities and programs such as the International Asteroid Search Campaign.[33][34]
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SEDS-South Africa is South Africa's national student Space society, and is the governing body of all SEDS chapters in South Africa. SEDS South Africa is made up of students and young professionals in Southern Africa who are interested in Space exploration and development. This includes engaging government policymakers, amateur satellite building, model rocketry, manufacturing in Space, student and young professionals collaboration, connecting with the Space industry,ham amateur radio, analogue Space missions, Space exploration, and Space technology to benefit humankind.
SEDS South Africa's founding branch is theUniversity of Cape Town, SEDS-SA-UCT. Branches include:
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| Type | Non Profit Student Organization |
|---|---|
| Focus | "To promote the exploration and development of space" |
| Headquarters | VIT, Vellore |
Area served | INDIA |
| Method | Student Collaboration |
Key people | Dr. Geetha Manivasagam (Trustee of SEDS India) |
| Website | https://www.sedsindia.org/ |
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SEDS-India is the governing body of SEDS in India with its headquarters atVellore Institute of Technology. SEDS India was founded in 2004 by Pradeep Mohandas and Abhishek Ray. The first chapter was established in Mumbai at PIIT, New Panvel. SEDS India governs affiliated chapters in India at various universities, includingVellore Institute of Technology, Veltech University,Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani - Hyderabad Campus, Birla Institute of Technology & Science Pilani-K. K. Birla Goa Campus, Sri Ramakrishna Engineering College and SASTRA University. Chapter affairs are controlled by the Local Chapter Committee which reports to the executive board of SEDS India. The executive board of SEDS India consists of six board members who are selected through a voting process, with all individual members of SEDS India being eligible to vote. The Permanent Trustee of SEDS India is Geetha Manivasagam, Vellore Institute of Technology. The advisory panel has multiple dignitaries on its board, including the associate director ofVikram Sarabhai Space Center.
The main outreach program of SEDS India is called OneSpace. OneSpace was founded to spread awareness about and engagement with space among underprivileged children in rural India and children residing in local orphanages. Attempts have also been made by SEDS India to outreach to northeast India, where access to space education and technical projects is more difficult. These efforts were led with the help of Angaraj Duara, an alumnus of Maharishi Vidyamandir Shilpukhuri, Guwahati, and established seven chapters in Assam. They are the Army Public School Narangi, Sharla Birla Gyan Jyoti School Guwahati, IIT-Guwahati, Handique Girls College, Royal Global Institute - RSET Guwahati, Donbosco Public School Panbazar and Tezpur University. SEDS-APSN was the first chapter in northeast India. A separate SEDS-NorthEast governing body oversees activities in the northeast.
| Type | Non Profit Student Organization |
|---|---|
Area served | Singapore |
Key people | |
| Website | http://seds-sg.space |
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SEDS (Singapore), founded in July 2019 by Vairavan Ramanathan and Nick Lee fromNational University of Singapore and theNanyang Technological University respectively, is the first and only national space and entrepreneurial organization in Singapore. The goal of SEDS Singapore is to provide a platform for students of all backgrounds based in Singapore to actively participate in ushering in a new space age.
Currently, there are 3 SEDS chapters under SEDS (Singapore). NUS SEDS based inNational University of Singapore. SEDS-NTU based inNanyang Technological University. SEDS-SUTD based inSingapore University of Technology and Design.
Current Active Projects of SEDS (Singapore):
| Project | Chapter |
|---|---|
| Mars Rover Challenge | SEDS-NUS |
| High Altitude Balloon | SEDS-NTU |
 SEDS Sri Lanka Logo | |
| Founded | September 2018 |
|---|---|
| Founder | Amila Sandun Basnayaka and Thilan Harshana |
| Type | Student Organization |
| Focus | "Bringing together students of many disciplines from all corners of the country to celebrate student shared passion for all things about space" |
Area served | Sri Lanka |
| Members | 1000+ |
Key people |
|
| Website | https://sedssl.org |
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The most widespread astronomy related organization inSri Lanka, SEDS Sri Lanka provides myriad opportunities to enthusiastic school children and university undergraduates alike. Founded in September 2018 by then graduate, Amila Sandun Basnayake and undergraduate, Thilan Harshana, currently the main organization SEDS Sri Lanka governs 16 chapters established under it. Hailing from a number of government and private universities, as well as a separate chapter for school children named SEDS Juniors, a wide range of activities are carried out throughout the year.[35]
These opportunities are represented in many ways such as both onsite and online workshops, SEDS Space Talks, competitions and citizen scientist ventures and educational programs for juniors. Among these, it is of importance to note the first high altitude balloon launched by Sri Lanka, under the project SERENDIB 1.0, the Hackathon, NASA Space Apps conducted in collaboration with NASA, and the numerous asteroid hunts held in collaboration withPan-STARRS.
| SEDS SL Chapter | Affiliated University |
|---|---|
| SEDS Mora | University of Moratuwa |
| SEDS Pera | University of Peradeniya |
| SEDS Agni | South Eastern University of Sri Lanka |
| SEDS Kelaniya | University of Kelaniya |
| SEDS Sabra | University of Sabaragamuwa |
| SEDS SLIIT | SLIIT |
| SEDS Wayamba | Wayamba University of Sri Lanka |
| SEDS Yarl | University of Jaffna |
| SEDS OUSL | Open University of Sri Lanka |
| SEDS SLTC | Sri Lanka Technology Campus |
| SEDS Ruhuna | University of Ruhuna |
| SEDS Ocean | Ocean University of Sri Lanka |
| SEDS UOC | University of Colombo |
| SEDS NSBM | NSBM |
| SEDS J'pura | University of Sri Jayewardenepura |
| SEDS Juniors | School Students |
| Founded | March 30, 2021 |
|---|---|
| Founder | Lovely Andeo (co-founders: Paul Kenneth Remo, Jonabel Eleanor Baldres, Karina Faith Amit, Gene Carlo Belinario, Angelika Nina Cabansag, Genesis Vertudez, Kris Kate Andoy) |
| Type | Student Organization |
Area served | Philippines |
Key people | Mark Angelo Purio, Daryl Joe Santos, Gregorio Villar III (Advisors) |
| Website | https://sedsph.vercel.app |
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SEDS Philippines (SEDSPH) is the official Philippine chapter of the Students for the Exploration and Development of Space or SEDS.
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Macedonian Students for the Exploration and Development of Space (MK-SEDS / МК-СИРК) is the national and regional governing body for SEDS Chapters in Macedonia and Europe.
MK-SEDS initially started in 2019 as a self-organized and student-run Macedonian Cosmic Institute at the Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje on the initiative of few students.On October 18, 2020, students, alumni, alumnae and youth fromSs. Cyril and Methodius University of Skopje,Goce Delchev University of Shtip andSt. Kliment Ohridski University of Bitola united in their intention to represent the force of Good, Beauty and Truth in the cosmic community of planet Earth adopted the Decision for registration of the Macedonian STUDENTS FOR THE EXPLORATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF SPACE.
The permanent Headquarters for MK-SEDS resides at theFaculty of Computer Science and Engineering, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje [mk].
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Zimbabwe has multiple SEDS chapters at its major universities namelyUniversity of Zimbabwe,National University of Science and Technology,Midlands State University andChinhoyi University of Technology. It also has a junior SEDS chapter that is aimed at introducing space education to students in high schools. In December 2021, SEDS MSU was one of the 10 teams in the world to be part of the Global Satellite Tracking Initiative where they were recipients of equipment to set up a ground station at Midlands State University.
At Princeton, the high achiever seemed to continue his geeky triumphs. He was president of a club called Students for the Exploration and Development of Space. He was elected to two honor societies, Phi Beta Kappa and Tau Beta Pi. He graduated summa cum laude.[dead link]
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