The Overview Effect and Our World
For more than four decades, astronauts from many cultures and backgrounds have been telling us that their experience of seeing first-hand the reality of the Earth in space, which is immediately understood to be a tiny, fragile ball of life, hanging in the void, shielded and nourished by a paper-thin atmosphere, has produced in them unexpected emotional reactions and intellectual, perceptual and paradigm shifts.
From space, the astronauts tell us that national boundaries vanish, the conflicts that divide us become less important and the need to create a planetary society with the united will to protect this "pale blue dot" becomes both obvious and imperative. Even more so, many of them tell us that from their newfound perspective, all of this seems imminently achievable, if only more people could have the experience.
The Overview Effect is the most commonly used term in the space community to refer to such life-changing experiences. For a detailed explanation of this phenomena, download our Overview booklet.
Overview Institute
In May 2008, twenty-two leaders in the areas of space, cognitive science, space art and visualization science, and technology convened at the National Space Society’s annual ISDC conference and announced their intention to form The Overview Institute. These experts, now known as The Overview Group, research and educate both the space community and the general public on the nature and psycho/social impact of directly experiencing space. Their announcement, drafted and signed by members of the group, led to The Declaration on the Overview Effect.
Space Tourism
Space Tourism is usually defined as a flight for which the space traveler foots the bill. Although this industry has until now been one exclusive to a handful of billionaire entrepreneurs, things are about to change.
Astronaut Accounts
Throughout the previous five decades of manned spaceflight, astronauts and cosmonauts have reported that their direct perception of space, and the Earth hanging in it, produced unexpected emotional reactions and intellectual, perspective, perceptual and paradigm shifts.