Ad Astra literally means "To the Stars

Ad astra (phrase)

Ad astra is a Latin phrase meaning "to the stars". The phrase has origins with Virgil, who wrote sic itur ad astra and opta ardua pennis astra sequi, Ad astra is a Latin phrase meaning "to the stars". The phrase has origins with Virgil, who wrote sic itur ad astra ("thus you shall go to the...

." This award-winning quarterly magazine is published by the National Space Society

National Space Society

The National Space Society is an international nonprofit 501, educational, and scientific organization specializing in space advocacy...

 (NSS), a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) aerospace

Aerospace

Aerospace comprises the atmosphere of Earth and surrounding space. Typically the term is used to refer to the industry that researches, designs, manufactures, operates, and maintains vehicles moving through air and space...

 advocacy

Advocacy

Advocacy is a political process by an individual or a large group which normally aims to influence public-policy and resource allocation decisions within political, economic, and social systems and institutions; it may be motivated from moral, ethical or faith principles or simply to protect an...

 and educational institution headquartered in Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....

.

On November 28, 2007, the National Space Society announced MM Publishing, Inc., a media company based in New York City

New York City

New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...

, as the newest publisher of the society’s magazine. Founded by Mark Mayfield and Deborah Martin

Deborah Martin

Deborah Martin is a contemporary American Realist Painter, Fine Art Photographer and curator. A site-specific artist, her work eulogizes the abandoned habitats and domestic landscapes of small town America....

, both veterans of the national consumer magazine industry, MM Publishing also publishes custom magazines for luxury hotels.

The agreement between NSS and MM Publishing officially took effect with the Spring (February 2008) issue of the quarterly magazine, replacing the previous publisher Imaginova Corporation, publisher of Space.com

Space.com

Space.com is a space and astronomy news website. Its stories are often syndicated to other media outlets, including CNN, MSNBC, Yahoo!, and USA Today.Space.com was founded by former CNN anchor Lou Dobbs and Rich Zahradnik, in July 1999...

. Imaginova published Ad Astra from 2005 to 2008, and still maintains a website for Ad Astra Online at SPACE.com. Ad Astra is MM Publishing's second magazine on the space industry after LAUNCH Magazine.

Now in its eighteenth year of publication as the official magazine of NSS, Ad Astra has been widely praised for its in-depth, expert coverage of space exploration and development, as well as outstanding photography. It has an international readership that includes some of the most influential names in the space industry, the US government and the American public.

A review by the Skeptic Files reports:

"Ad Astra is many things: It is balanced, presenting all aspects of an issue in a fair and non-judgmental way. It is attractive and visually appealing, using glossy stock paper, full color photos, and an uncluttered format. It is educational, presenting facts and details in a concise and comprehensive journalistic style. It is timely and informative, keeping its readers up to date on current events and their impact on the future of space exploration. It is future-oriented, reporting on new advances in a variety of research and projects—both domestic and international. The editorial staff of Ad Astra pledges to bring NSS members a magazine that will serve as the gateway to the stars."

Awards

Printing & Graphics Communications Association:

• Award of Excellence for 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999
• Best of Category for 2003, 2002
• Best Web Printed Piece for 2003

International Association of Business Communicators:

• Silver Inkwell Award of Excellence for 2002

External links

• Ad Astra Official online page on SPACE.com web portal
• 2008 Ad Astra Sales Kit PDF presentation and background information about the magazine, subscribers and content, pricing and contact information