Students for the Exploration and Development of Space (SEDS) is a non-profit international student organization whose purpose is to drive space advocacy of space exploration and development through educational and engineering projects.
History Students for the Exploration and Development of Space was founded in 1980 at MIT by Peter Diamandis, Princeton University by Scott Scharfman, and Yale University by Richard Sorkin,Diamandis, P., "Space Interest Group for Students," Omni, July 1981, pp 14-15 .About SEDS 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 in Italy, 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 at Vellore Institute of Technology. Though collaboration is frequent, each branch and chapter is independent and coordinates their own activities and projects.
1980s SEDS was founded on September 17, 1980, primarily by Peter Diamandis, Scott Scharfman, Richard Sorkin, Robert D. Richards, and Todd B. Hawley and their first meeting was held on October 30, 1980."Logbook Cover and Meeting Minutes," 1980, SEDS History Project . After the initial meetings in 1980, SEDS president Peter Diamandis wrote a letter to the editor of Omni magazine deploring the status of the space program and asking students to help make a difference. The letter, published in Omni in early 1981, attracted students from around the world to SEDS. This laid the foundations for the first SEDS international conference, held at George Washington University between July 15–19, 1982."SEDS 1982 Program Documents", 1982, SEDS History Project . As the decade progressed, SEDS continued to have more international conferences, which rotated among schools including George Washington University (again), University of Alabama in Huntsville, and Caltech. During the end of the decade, UKSEDS was founded at the Science Museum (London) and held their first conference at the University of Cambridge during November 25–26, 1989."SEDS 1989 History", 1989, SEDS History Project .
1990s
During the 1990s, SEDS continued to host a national conference each year, sometimes in conjunction with the International 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.
2000s In 2004, the SEDS National Conferences were re-established by MITSEDS and hosted on the campus of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology on November 11–14."SpaceVision 2004 Website", 2004, MITSEDS. The conference was renamed the SEDS SpaceVision conference and featured many speakers who would return year after year during this decade, including Loretta Hidalgo Whitesides, founder Dr. Robert Richards, Rick Tumlinson, George T. Whitesides, Robert Zubrin, and Pete Worden. The SpaceVision conference then visited University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2005), University of Central Florida (2006), the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (2007), Texas A&M University (2008),"SEDS SpaceVision Conference Notes", 2008, SEDS Wiki . 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"SpaceVision 2014 website" (2014), Boston University (2015), Purdue (2016), University of Central Florida (2017), University of California, San Diego (2018), Arizona State University (2019), virtually for 2020, Rice University (2021), University of Chicago (2022) and Georgetown 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 national Rockoon competition modeled after the Ansari X PRIZE.
Active SEDS-USA projects
SEDS-USA organizes annual and rolling projects to engage its members in space-related activities. Two such projects are:
SEDS High-Power Rocketry Competition
This is a competition between chapters designed to challenge students in high-power rocketry."SEDS High-Power Rocketry Competition" 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.
Student NewSpace Business Plan Competition
Started in 2011, this competition is co-organized with the Space Frontier Foundation"Student NewSpace Business Plan Competition" 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 the NewSpace 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"Student NewSpace Business Plan Competition - 2011 Winners" and Iowa State University respectively.
International branches SEDS is organized by country, region, and chapter. There is a large contingent of SEDS chapters in the United States, which are governed regionally and nationally by SEDS-USA. SEDS India has nine SEDS chapters under it and is headquartered at Vellore Institute of Technology. UKSEDS is composed of five regions across the United Kingdom and has its headquarters at the British 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 the Alliance for Space Development.
SEDS-USA
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 national board of directors, board of advisors, and a board 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 2025–26 national directors of SEDS-USA are listed below. PositionDescriptionBoard MemberChairPreside over board and oversee decision-making process.Isabella Morter (Texas A&M University)Vice-chairAlumni and Advisers liaison. Leads fundraising efforts.Trevor Darr (Duke University)TreasurerKeep financial records and control legal and financial matters.Samantha Stein (Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University)Council of Chapters ChairConduct CoC meetings and work with SEDS-USA chapters.Arielle Misra (Duke University)SecretarySet up meeting rooms for SEDS-USA national meetings and take minutes.Camila Roman (Florida State University)Member At-Large (1)Work on general tasks that require action within SEDS-USA.Ansh Patel (Texas A&M University) Member At-Large (2)Work on general tasks that require action within SEDS-USA.Ian Matthew (Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University)
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. 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.
Founding and early history UKSEDS was inspired by the efforts of students who attended the first International Space University (ISU) Space Studies Program held at MIT 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 the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in Brighton in 1987, where he met key figures like Peter Diamandis and Todd Hawley.
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 the British Interplanetary Society (BIS) and the Royal 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.
Activities and initiatives UKSEDS offers a wide range of activities designed to engage students and foster their development:
National Student Space Conference (NSSC): An annual event that brings together students, academics, and industry professionals to discuss the latest advancements in space exploration and development. The NSSC features keynote speeches, panel discussions, workshops, and a careers fair. Competitions and Challenges: Regular events such as the Satellite Design Competition encourage students to apply theoretical knowledge to practical projects, fostering innovation and technical skills. Workshops and Webinars: Hands-on training sessions and talks by industry leaders help members develop technical and professional skills. Topics range from rocketry and satellite design to leadership and project management. Outreach Programmes: UKSEDS organises public engagement events to inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers. These include school visits, public lectures, and participation in STEM fairs. Project Support: Provides funding, mentorship, and resources for student-led space projects across universities in the UK. This support enables students to undertake ambitious projects, from CubeSats to high-altitude balloons.
Notable projects and initiatives UKSEDS has undertaken numerous technical space projects, including:
The Fluid Loop Actuator (FLA): Developed by UKSEDS members at the University of Kent and Canterbury High School, this device was designed to assist astronauts in zero gravity. It was test flown on parabolic flights by the European Space Agency (ESA) in 1993. ASPIRE I: A sounding rocket developed by members from the Universities of Bath, Bristol, Cambridge, and Kent. Sponsored by Serco Space, British Airways, Irvin Parachutes, ICI, and Dynamit Nobel, ASPIRE I was launched in 1992 and once held UK amateur rocketry records for speed and altitude.