Editing Association of Space Explorers (section)

{{primary sources|date=March 2011}}

The '''Association of Space Explorers''' is a [[non-profit organization]] with a membership composed of people who have completed at least one [[Geocentric orbit|Earth orbit]] in space (above {{convert|100|km|mi|abbr=on}}, as defined by the [[Fédération Aéronautique Internationale]]. It was founded in 1985, and had over 400 members from 38 countries as of 2023.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.space-explorers.org/global|title=Members|website=Association of Space Explorers|access-date=2023-11-04}}</ref> The organization provides a forum for the promotion of [[space exploration]], as well as space science and engineering and environmental awareness.

Inspired by his friendship with author [[Michael Murphy (author)|Michael Murphy]] and involvement in the [[Esalen Institute]]'s Soviet-American Exchange Program, NASA astronaut [[Rusty Schweickart]] established the Association along with [[cosmonaut]]s [[Alexei Leonov]], [[Vitaly Sevastyanov]], and [[Georgi Grechko]].<ref name="NASA-bio Rusty Schweickart">{{cite web|url=http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/schweickart-rl.html|title=Archived Copy of Biographical Data for Russell L. (Rusty) Schweickart|website=NASA Johnson Space Center|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090402202846/http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/schweickart-rl.html |access-date=July 4, 2023|archive-date=2009-04-02 }}</ref>