The ASB is for people interested in the relationship between life and its cosmic environment. This covers a vast diversity of topics and research methodologies, encompassing observational astronomy, theoretical astrophysics, geological expeditions, and laboratory-based prebiotic chemistry and microbiology. The society is a highly interdisciplinary forum, with a membership spanning the full spectrum of these research topics, and is open to all professional scientists and students interested in the field. Our membership is international.

In addition to acting as a nexus between all its members and running an informative website, the Society distributes a regular email newsletter providing updates on all aspects of astrobiology, from the latest results and news to activities of our members and up-coming international conferences and meetings of astrobiological interest. The Society also holds its own conference every two years which acts as a focus for discussions in astrobiology.

When the society was first formed in 2004, our members contributed papers to a special issue of the International Journal of Astrobiology,  vol. 3, issue 2, pp 71 – 181, to show-case the research conducted by the members of this new society. After the 2006 ASB Conference in Canterbury, two issues of the International Journal of Astrobiology carried papers based on work presented at the conference (IJA, vol.5, issue 3, pp 181 – 275, and issue 4, pp 277 – 359).Details of the individual contents can be found on the journal's website.

Membership of the Society brings many other benefits, including a 20% reduction on subscriptions to the International Journal of Astrobiology. Annual membership to the Astrobiology Society of Britain costs only £5.