Project Constellation: Building a Constellation of Outer Space Partners at the UN
Sponsor: Dept of StateInternal Deadline: 08/21/2026Institutional Submission Limit: 1Sponsor Deadline: 09/04/2026Program Website
Project Constellation strives to build a global constellation of partners that advances economic opportunity, innovation, and the peaceful and responsible use of outer space by connecting governments, industry, universities, entrepreneurs, and international organizations through enduring partnerships with the United States.
Project Constellation seeks to achieve the following objectives during the period of performance:
Objective 1 – Strengthen International Partnerships Strengthen collaboration among governments, international organizations, industry, academia, entrepreneurs, and civil society and leverage this cooperation to drive closer alignment between foreign governments’ policy positions on civil and commercial space issues at COPUOS, UNGA, and other relevant multilateral fora.
Objective 2 – Build Capacity for Emerging Space Economies Strengthen institutional, commercial, and workforce capacity through knowledge sharing, SME engagement, and related initiatives that improve awareness and understanding of foreign countries’ legal obligations under international space law; educate participants on U.S. approaches to implementing those obligations, as well as non-binding UN best practices and guidelines; and highlight U.S. space-derived information and benefits available to the international community. 6
Objective 3 – Promote Innovation and Commercial Engagement Expand opportunities for entrepreneurship, investment, technology collaboration, and commercial partnerships by identifying specific needs of partner countries and connecting them with the U.S. space ecosystem, including government agencies, private industry, universities, nonprofit organizations, and business associations.
Objective 4 – Increase Strategic Engagement Increase awareness of U.S. policies, regulations, and priorities through strategic communications, digital engagement, and knowledge-sharing activities that highlight successful bilateral partnerships and showcase opportunities for collaboration.
Objective 5 – Establish a Sustainable Partnership Platform Develop and sustain Project Constellation as a year-round international partnership platform that supports collaboration before, during, and after the annual U.S. Space Forum through digital engagement, professional networks, and ongoing partnership activities.
Applicants are only allowed to submit one proposal per organization. If more than one proposal is submitted from an organization, only the first time-stamped application submission will be review for technical eligibility.
Submission Process
Limited submissions MUST be coordinated with the Office of the Vice President for Research.
If interested in applying for this opportunity, please combine the following items into a single PDF and email to resdev@mailbox.sc.edu by 5pm on the INTERNAL DEADLINE above:
- Cover page with grant program name & number (if applicable) to which you are applying, your project title, PI (name, department/unit, & email), and list of co-PIs/key collaborators (name & department/unit)
- a two-page project abstract addressing key components/criteria for this specific grant program
- a 2-3 page CV/biosketch for the PI (SCiENcv preferred)