The Space Development Institute is a 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable and educational organization incorporated in the State of California. The purpose of the Institute is to perform scientific research, and to explore issues and practical solutions related to the opening of space to all of humanity. For example, the Institute intends to research and be directly involved in such actrivities and issues as:

• The scarcity of astronomical data related to asteroids, and methods to obtain more and better data.
• A Program of astrometrics to improve existing NEO orbital elements
• A program of spectroscopy to determine the type and suspected composition of each asteroid.
• The potential future roles of government programs and the private sector in space exploration and development.
• Legal, regulatory, political, financial, technical and all other hindrances to space commercialization and solutions to those problems.
• Issues related to property rights in space and the robotic and human exploration of space and its abundant natural resources.
• Energy requirements and sources for deep space resource extraction, processing, transportation and utilization.
• Methods and equipment required for extracting, processing and transporting space resources.

The Institute is financed through tax-deductible, charitable contributions and foundation and government grants.

Projects

The Institute is currently engaged in three projects:

• Space commercialization retreats.
• Near Earth Object astronomical research.
• The "$5,000 Benson Prize for the Amateur Discovery of Near Earth Asteroids" consists of ten $500 prizes, to be presented to the first ten amateur astronomers to discover Near Earth Asteroids since the contest's inception. Three awards have been made.

Through these and other programs, and accompanying educational outreach efforts, the Institute endeavors to cultivate the enthusiasm, knowledge base and network of strivers necessary to facilitate the near-term commercialization of outer space.