Association of Space Explorers
| Formation | 1984-09-08 |
|---|---|
| Founded at | Abbey de Cernay, France |
| Type | Professional Association |
| Members | 366 (2026-06-09) |
President | Julie Payette |
| Website | https://www.space-explorers.org |
The Association of Space Explorers is a professional organization with a membership composed of people who have completed at least one Earth orbit in space (above 100 km (62 mi), as defined by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale. It was founded in 1985, and had over 300 members from 38 countries as of 2026. The organization provides a forum for the promotion of space exploration, as well as space science and engineering and environmental awareness.
Inspired by his friendship with author Michael Murphy and involvement in the Esalen Institute's Soviet-American Exchange Program, NASA astronaut Rusty Schweickart established the Association along with cosmonauts Alexei Leonov, Vitaly Sevastyanov, and Georgi Grechko. The first Polish cosmonaut Mirosław Hermaszewski was one of the ASE's founding members.. A list of all founding members can be accessed in this official web page.