National Space Grant and Fellowship Project

The National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program (Space Grant) was authorized by Congress in response to the need for a coordinated effort to help maintain America's preeminence in aerospace science and technology. Through the establishment of state-based consortia, consisting of universities, university systems, associations, government agencies, industries, and informal education organizations involved in aerospace activities, lead institutions provide leadership and support for program objectives in their state and nationally. Lead institutions accomplish this by collaborating with other universities, broadening joint activities with NASA and aerospace-related industries, and providing public service functions, such as support to schools (elementary and secondary), and to the public. These institutions are working to expand opportunities for Americans to understand and participate in NASA's aeronautics and space projects by supporting and enhancing science and engineering education, research and public outreach efforts. The Space Grant national network includes over 1,000 affiliates from universities, colleges, industry, museums, science centers, and state and local agencies. These affiliates belong to one of 52 consortia in all 50 states, plus the District of Columbia and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Space Grant is a workforce development program. The 52 consortia fund fellowships, internships and scholarships for students pursuing careers in STEM, as well as curriculum enhancement and faculty development. The Consortia engage students in hands-on experiential projects, which provide invaluable experiences to make these students well positioned workers in a broad array of technological fields. Member colleges and universities also administer pre-college and public service education projects in their states. Space Grant fosters science and engineering training, research, and industry partnerships with the goal of cultivating a skilled, innovative talent pool to advance space exploration and innovations.