The Planetary Society has been on a mission: To empower the world's citizens to advance space science and exploration. It’s the place for people who want to be involved in space exploration by sharing their passion with other like-minded people. Chief Development Officer of the Planetary Society, Richard Chute, joins Beth today on the podcast and explains how a hobby became a full-time job(s), and how enabling citizens of planet Earth to explore space together is one of the most remarkable adventures ever imagined- first by Planetary Society founders Carl Sagan, Bruce Murray, and Louis Friedman, and continues today with Bill Nye and Richard Chute!  Throughout this episode, you’ll be INVITED to become a member of the Planetary Society! So don’t wait, join now! https://www.planetary.org/about/our-story  More About Richard Chute:  “The decade ahead promises to be the greatest decade for space exploration since the Apollo era--but only if we all work to make it so through our actions and support.” An interest in science and astronomy, bolstered by a love for science fiction, began at an early age for Richard Chute, the Chief Development Officer for the Planetary Society. From watching Star Trek in its original run on TV, seeing Saturn through a telescope for the first time in 5th grade, joining the rocketry club in 6th grade, getting a first-edition copy of Star Wars for Christmas, to watching Cosmos as a young college student, Richard has always been fascinated by space exploration. Richard seeks to make a difference by creating effective fundraising programs for causes and organizations that support his passions.  “When I began, I thought I was going to be asking people for something. What I found through the course of my career is that instead, it’s about giving people opportunities to be connected to something that they already love and want to be involved with.” -Richard Chute, Casual Space Podcast  Contact Richard at richard.chute@planetary.org and find him on LinkedIn  More about the Planetary Society: www.planetary.org From the Planetary Society website:  “Our story begins with an observation. Planetary Society founders Carl Sagan, Bruce Murray, and Louis Friedman saw that people of all walks of life are fascinated by the cosmos—yet space exploration budgets waned. This disconnect sparked the idea for a movement that would unite and represent people from around the world in support of space science and exploration. This is how The Planetary Society came to be. For over 4 decades, our members have made strides in advancing planetary exploration, planetary defense, and the search for life beyond Earth. We have delivered tens of thousands of petitions to the United States Congress. We have funded groundbreaking technological advancements in solar sailing. We have united researchers from around the world to work together on asteroid defense. Today we are the world’s largest and most influential independent space-interest organization.”