With the financial support of GIO Reinsurance, OTC Australia, Baker & McKenzie, the Cape York Space Agency, Australian Airlines and American Airlines, and the Australian Space Office, the 1st Australian Space Development Conference (ASDC) was held in August 1990. The conference was an enormous success, and secured the NSSA's place as a recognised and credible pro-space Organisation. Almost immediately following the 1990 ASDC, planning began for the 1992 conference.

It was recognised by many delegates from the first conference that there was a need for the business community to continue the exchange of information and ideasthat had begun at the ASDC. To this end, the NSSA introduced an informal series of meetings called 'Space Business Discussion Groups' (SBDG).

These meetings were designed to allow representatives from the space industry to meet together and discuss in an open atmosphere, the many issues that face the industry and the barriers preventing Australia from moving forward with an active space program.

The SBDG 's began in Sydney in November 1990. Interstate groups developed over the next two years, with meetings being held in Melbourne, Canberra, Adelaide and Brisbane. In addition to these meetings, the NSSA also began co-sponsoring the 'Australian Space Business Forum Luncheons, with the Australian Space Office (ASO).

By the time of SBDG meetings in late 1991, discussions were already taking place to develop a more formal structure to the national meetings. The ASO co-sponsored meetings had become irregular events and the NSSA's SBDG's were gaining increased interest and importance with the space industry- In parallel to the planning for the 1992 conference, the NSSA began development of Plans for a new industry based organisation that could act as a voice for the Australian space community. At a meeting in April 1992, the idea was formalised for the introduction of a new industry group to be called the 'Australian Space Industry Chamber of Commerce' (ASICC).

In the meantime, the chapters of the NSSA had been going through a period of growth and development, Since 1988, the Sydney chapter had been producing a national newsletter called Space Frontier News (SFN) which had replaced the old 'L5 Space News'. SFN was a 20x A4-page magazine-style newsletter which covered news, reviews and views on space related issues and updates on the activities of the Chapters. SFN became a valuable tool for the Chapters to use to attract new members and for the NSSA to promote information about space and its own activities. Following the 1990 ASDC, the NSSA was approached by an independent publishing company that wanted to launch an Australian space magazine. The publication called 'Space Digest Australia' was designed to be marketed to the local industry, but to also be general enough to be distributed through newsstands and on subscription. The NSSA supported the introduction of this new magazine, and through a cooperative arrangement, the membership of the NSSA were to receive a copy of this new publication as a replacement for Space Frontier News. The first edition of 'Space Digest' in February 1991, signalled a major upgrade in membership services, with the introduction of a colour, glossy magazine. Many of the chapters were now also in a strong enough position to produce their own local newsletters and able to increase chapter activities and public outreach programs.

However, as events turned out, 'Space Digest' did not find sufficient support from subscriptions to continue publication, and so the magazine ceased production in May 1992. This suddenly left the NSSA without a magazine or national newsletter service- During the next six months, the administration of the NSSA conducted talks with the publishers of the magazine 'Southern Astronomy'. The editors of Southern Astronomy had been developing plans to change their already well subscribed astronomy magazine into a more wide ranging 'space and astronomy' publication, introducing a new format, articles and contributing authors, including a number of space clubs and related organisations. At the 1992 ASDC, the new magazine called 'Sky & Space' was launched, and made available to all members as a part of their membership benefits.

The 2nd Australian Space Development Conference was held in October 1992, and came at a time in the Australian economy of deep recession. However, to the surprise of many, the conference still attracted a respectable audience and even though the costs for running this conference were much higher, the 1992 ASDC still returned a good financial outcome for the NSSA, and established many new contacts between the 150 national and international delegates in attendance. Our special guest to this conference was three time space shuttle astronaut and NSS President; Charles Walker. Also attending her second ASDC was NSS Executive Director Lori Garver and NSS Program Manager; David Brandt (David and Lori are married).

At the 1992 ASDC, the establishment of Australian Space Industry Chamber of Commerce was announced with the starting date of July 1, 1993 to begin full operations. Through the financial backing and support from an industry entrepreneur, the first year of ASICC's operation would be secure, enabling the NSSA to act as the full-time secretariat to ensure its continued administration and development.

Following the 1992 conference, planning for the next ASDC got underway, and work towards the establishment of ASICC continued. Among the first activities of ASICC, was the establishment of an Executive Council which would help to coordinate the national SBDG meetings. An interim council of eleven members was formed in August 1993, with representatives from companies like Optus, Telecom, GIO Insurance, Auspace Limited, legal and insurance firms, universities, private space launch companies, and others. In September 1993, the Federal Minister for Science, Senator Chris Schacht agreed to act as patron to ASICC, providing increased credibility and recognition from the Government and domestic space community.

Apart from the establishment of ASICC on July 1, 1993, the NSSA gave birth to a new chapter based in Tasmania. The Hobart Space Frontier Society joined the other mainland states, bringing us up to nine Australian chapters and by far the largest NSS chapter structure outside of the United States,

Following the May 1993 international NSS conference in the U.S., the NSSA was able to get the agreement of the U.S./NSS Board of Directors to extend to Australian members, a greatly reduced international membership fee. This new membership fee structure (begun November 1, 1993) made it possible for the NSSA to introduce the Society's international magazine, AD ASTRA (Latin for 'To The Stars'), for ALL Australian members, replacing Sky & Space magazine.

With the introduction of Ad ASTRA, the NSSA decided to re-introduce a national newsletter service for all chapter members, hence the (re-) establishment of' Space Frontier News.

In a major departure from regular newsletter formats, it was realised that Space Frontier News (SFN), could become a real 'tool' for the NSSA and its members to use. Instead of the usual folded or stapled publication, SFN was designed to provide members with a news and information service that could be built into a valuable source of space data and Society information. Presented in its own folder, SFN would include additional sources of information about the NSSA, including a short history of the NSS and NSSA, and extra resources such as spare membership and change of address forms for members to use.