As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on January 7, 1998
                                                     Registration No. 333-______
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------


                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549


                                    FORM S-8


                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                             NETWORK SOLUTIONS, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

             Delaware                                    52-1146119
  ------------------------------               ------------------------------
  (State or other jurisdiction of                     (I.R.S. Employer
  incorporation or organization)                     Identification No.)

      505 Huntmar Park Drive
            Herndon, VA                                            20170
  ------------------------------               ------------------------------
       (Address of Principal                             (Zip Code)
        Executive Offices)

            NETWORK SOLUTIONS, INC. 1997 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN
                            (Full title of the plan)

                                                              COPY TO:
            GABRIEL A. BATTISTA                          JONATHAN W. EMERY
          Network Solutions, Inc.                     Network Solutions, Inc.
          505 Huntmar Park Drive                      505 Huntmar Park Drive
           Herndon, VA 20170                             Herndon, VA 20170
              (703) 742-0400                              (703) 742-0400
      ------------------------------              ------------------------------
   (Name, address and telephone number,
including area code, of agent for service)


                                    CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Title of                Amount        Proposed Maximum         Proposed           Amount of
    Securities To              To Be         Offering Price      Maximum Aggregate    Registration
    Be Registered           Registered        per Share(1)       Offering Price(1)         Fee
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                                                                 
Class A Common Stock,     250,000 shares         $12.81            $3,202,500.00         $944.74
   par value $.001
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(1)   Estimated in accordance with Rule 457(c) for the purpose of computing
      the amount of the registration fee based on the average of the high
      and low prices of the Company's Common Stock as reported on the
      Nasdaq National Market on December 30, 1997.


                                -----------------

The Registration Statement shall become effective upon filing in accordance with
Rule 462 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.



                                     PART I

              INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS

Item 1.  Plan Information.*
- ------   ----------------

Item 2.  Registrant Information and Employee Plan Annual Information.*
- ------   -----------------------------------------------------------

      *  Information required by Part I to be contained in the Section 10(a)
      prospectus is omitted from this Registration Statement in accordance
      with Rule 428 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
      "Securities Act") and the Note to Part I of Form S-8.


                                     PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 3.  Incorporation of Certain Documents by Reference.
- ------   -----------------------------------------------

         The following documents filed by Registrant with the Securities and
Exchange Commission are incorporated by reference in this Registration
Statement:

         (1) Registrant's prospectus dated September 26, 1997 filed pursuant to
Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act (in connection with Registrant's
Registration Statement on Form S-1, File No. 333-30507 (the "Form S-1
Registration Statement")), which contains the statements of financial position
of the Registrant as of December 31, 1995 and 1996 and as of June 30, 1997
(unaudited) and the related statements of operations, stockholders' equity and
cash flows for the year ended December 31, 1994, for the period from January 1,
1995 to March 10, 1995 and March 11, 1995 to December 31, 1995, for the year
ended December 31, 1996 and for the six months ended June 30, 1997 (unaudited),
together with the report thereon of Price Waterhouse LLP, independent
accountants.

         (2) The description of Registrant's Class A Common Stock contained in
Registrant's registration statement on Form 8-A, filed August 8, 1997.

         In addition, all documents subsequently filed by Registrant pursuant to
Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all
securities offered have been sold or which deregisters all securities then
remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this
Registration Statement and to be a part hereof from the date of filing of such
documents.

Item 4.  Description of Securities.
- ------   -------------------------

         Not applicable.


                                       -2-




Item 5.  Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.
- ------   --------------------------------------

         The financial statements of Network Solutions, Inc. incorporated by
reference in this registration statement have been audited by Price Waterhouse
LLP, independent auditors, to the extent indicated in its report thereon also
incorporated by reference. Such financial statements have been incorporated
herein by reference in reliance upon each of such reports given upon the
authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.

Item 6.  Indemnification of Directors and Officers.
- ------   -----------------------------------------

         Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law provides for the
indemnification of officers, directors, and other corporate agents in terms
sufficiently broad to indemnify such persons under certain circumstances for
liabilities (including reimbursement for expenses incurred) arising under the
Securities Act. Article IX of the Registrant's Restated Certificate of
Incorporation (Exhibit 3.1(c) to the Form S-1 Registration Statement) limits the
liability of the Registrant's directors to the extent and under the
circumstances permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law.

         The Underwriting Agreement (Exhibit 1.1 to the Form S-1 Registration
Statement) provides for indemnification by the Underwriters of the Registrant,
its directors and officers, and by the Registrant of the Underwriters, for
certain liabilities, including liabilities arising under the Securities Act, and
affords certain rights of contribution with respect thereto.

Item 7.  Exemption from Registration Claimed.
- ------   -----------------------------------

         Not applicable.

Item 8.  Exhibits.
- ------   --------

         See Index to Exhibits.

Item 9.  Undertakings.
- ------   ------------

         (a) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

         (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made,
     a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

              (i) To include any prospectus required by section 10(a)(3) of the
          Securities Act;

              (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising
          after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most
          recent effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the
          aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth
          in the registration statement;


                                       -3-




              (iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan
          of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement
          or any material change to such information in the registration
          statement;

         PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do not
         apply if the registration statement is on Form S-3 or Form S-8, and the
         information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by
         those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed by the
         Registrant pursuant to section 13 or section 15(d) of the Securities
         Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), that are
         incorporated by reference in the registration statement.

         (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
     Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a
     new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and
     the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the
     initial bona fide offering thereof.

         (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment
     any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the
     termination of the offering.

         (b) The undersigned Registrant hereby further undertakes that, for
purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of
the Registrant's annual report pursuant to section 13(a) or section 15(d) of the
Exchange Act that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement
shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities
offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be
deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

         (c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons
of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the
Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange
Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the
Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for
indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the
Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling
person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or
proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in
connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in
the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent,
submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such
indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities
Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.


                                       -4-



                                   SIGNATURES
                                   ----------

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all
of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this registration
statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of Herndon, State of Virginia, on January 7, 1998.

                                                NETWORK SOLUTIONS, INC.



                                                By   /s/ GABRIEL A. BATTISTA
                                                  ------------------------------
                                                        Gabriel A. Battista
                                                      Chief Executive Officer


                                POWER OF ATTORNEY
                                -----------------

         KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature
appears below constitutes and appoints Gabriel A. Battista and Robert J.
Korzeniewski, and each of them his or her true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and
agents, each with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him or her
and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any
and all amendments, including post-effective amendments, to this registration
statement, and to file the same, with exhibits thereto and other documents in
connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto
said attorneys-in-fact and agents, full power and authority to do and perform
each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done, as fully to all
intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying
and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or his or her
substitute or substitutes, may do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities and on the date indicated:


           Name                          Title                       Date
           ----                          -----                       ----


  /s/ GABRIEL A. BATTISTA      Chief Executive Officer and     January 7, 1998
- -----------------------------  Director
    Gabriel A. Battista       


/s/ ROBERT J. KORZENIEWSKI     Chief Financial Officer         December 22, 1997
- -----------------------------  (Principal Financial Officer)
  Robert J. Korzeniewski





           Name                          Title                       Date
           ----                          -----                       ----


  /s/ RUSSELL L. HELBERT*      Controller (Principal           December 26, 1997
- -----------------------------  Accounting Officer)
    Russell L. Helbert*      


  /s/ MICHAEL A. DANIELS*      Chairman of the Board           January 6, 1998
- -----------------------------
    Michael A. Daniels*


  /s/ J. ROBERT BEYSTER*       Director                        December 26, 1997
- -----------------------------
    J. Robert Beyster*


   /s/ CRAIG I. FIELDS*        Director                        December 26, 1997
- -----------------------------
     Craig I. Fields*


    /s/ JOHN E. GLANCY*        Director                        December 26, 1997
- -----------------------------
      John E. Glancy*


/s/ WILLIAM A. ROPER, JR.*     Director                        December 26, 1997
- -----------------------------
  William A. Roper, Jr.*


 /s/ STRATTON D. SCALVOS*      Director                        December 20, 1997
- -----------------------------
    Stratton D. Scalvos


   /s/ DONALD N. TELAGE*       Director                        December 19, 1997
- -----------------------------
     Donald N. Telage*


*By /s/ ROBERT J. KORZENIEWSKI
   ------------------------------
       (Robert J. Korzeniewski,
          Attorney-in-Fact)




                                INDEX TO EXHIBITS
                                -----------------

Exhibit
Number               Exhibit
- -------              -------

4.1*                 Specimen Common Stock Certificate

5.1                  Opinion regarding legality of securities to be offered

10.1                 1997 Employee Stock Purchase Plan

23.1                 Consent of Price Waterhouse LLP

23.2                 Consent of Pillsbury Madison & Sutro LLP (included in
                     Exhibit 5.1)

24.1                 Power of Attorney (see page I)


- -----------------
*     Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to Registrant's Registration 
Statement on Form S-1, No. 333-30507.