The spUN Debates

Space Policy and UNiversalization (spUN) Debates

The NSS International Space Development Conference has been the incubator for many exciting programs and ideas. ISDC® 2017 gave birth to a remarkable program for students who are space enthusiasts, and, who seek to become leaders in the space arena.

The spUN Debate Program forms teams of international students who learn about current laws and concerns in space development and expansion. It then gives them the opportunity to debate the ramifications of emerging policy in space industries and space utilization.

Student debater virtually join an international team of debaters and put into action the NSS mission to promote social, economic, technological, and political change in order to expand civilization beyond Earth, to settle space and to use the resulting resources to build a hopeful and proserous future for humanity.

Participating students gain 21 st Century skills that help in preparing for future careers involving international collaboration, coorperation, creativity, and critical thinking and even steerage toward realizing the NSS mission.

The spUN Debate Program is a virtual program. Chosen debaters prepare for the May 2023 tournament in their home country while working virtually online with the other debaters on their team. The final debate round will be streamed from ISDC on Saturday, May 27, 2023.

Since its inception in 2017, the spUN Debate Program has seen over two hundred students from thirteen countries involved in the debates.

For more information about the spUN Debates please visit: