# National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program

The space-grant colleges are educational institutions in the United States that comprise a network of fifty-three consortia established in 1988 for the purpose of outer space-related research. Each consortium is based in one of the fifty states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, or Guam, and each consists of multiple independent space-grant institutions, with one of the institutions acting as lead.
Similar programs include sea-grant colleges (instituted in 1966) and sun-grant colleges (instituted in 2003).

## Objectives

The program states the following objectives:
* Establish and maintain a national network of universities with interests and capabilities in aeronautics, outer space, and related fields;
* Encourage cooperative programs among universities, the aerospace industry, and federal, state, and local governments;
* Encourage interdisciplinary training, research, and public service programs related to aerospace;
* Recruit and train U.S. citizens, especially women, underrepresented minorities, and persons with disabilities, for careers in aerospace science and technology; and,
* Promote a strong science, mathematics, and technology education base from elementary through secondary levels.

## History

The National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program was established in 1988 by the US Congress following the success of similar scholarship opportunities in the oceanic Sea Grant and agricultural Land Grant fields. The catch-all term Space Grant refers back to these previous federal programs. In 1989, the program was given over to NASA, which administers it in the same way that NOAA administers Sea Grant.
The first meeting of the National Council of Space Grant Directors took place from January 16 to January 19, 1990, at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory in Columbia, Maryland, and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in La Cañada Flintridge, California. In 2011, an effort was made to begin collecting the history of the council.

## Programs

Building Leaders for Advancing Science and Technology (BLAST) BLAST is a three-day summer event that takes place at Virginia's Old Dominion University. This free, STEM-centered event, is available to 8th and 9th graders with a 2.3 GPA or better. BLAST's purpose is to show the students the interesting aspects of STEM to those who are unsure whether they want to be involved in STEM or not.
Nationwide Eclipse Ballooning Project The NEBP is a high-altitude, balloon launching program.
eXploration Systems and Habitation (X-Hab) 2019 Academic Innovation Challenge The eXploration Systems and Habitation (X-Hab) challenge seeks better the academic and technological abilities of university students. It utilizes hands-on training in the implementation of space habitats for deep space missions. There is an Advanced Exploration Systems (AES) Division where university students can compete to win awards worth $15,000–50,000 for a functional design that the AES finds useful and, or, interesting.
John Mather Nobel Scholars Established in 2008, the John Mather Nobel Scholars is a scholarship program open to NASA-Goddard Space Flight. The program provides $3,000 so that a chosen participant can share their research paper with NASA professionals. To be a part of this program, a GPA of 3.5 or higher is necessary along with being a junior or higher.
NASA KSC Higher Education Support Services The NASA/Kennedy Space Center Higher Education Support Services supports college grade Higher Education competitions. Such competitions entail internships, senior design projects, and selective grants.
National Space Grant Distinguished Service Award The National Space Grant Distinguished Service Award was created by Josh Simpson and is awarded to students who will have an impact in a STEM field related to NASA's mission/goals.
Space Grant Support Services The goal of the Space Grant Support Services is to better the Space Grant network. The Space Grant Support Services supports the Space Grant network in many different ways from an economical view to a public view.
Space Systems Engineering Website The Space Systems Engineering Website is a free, six-week, online course that allows students to work and learn with NASA's engineers. Course materials will always be accessible and students are able to use the learned resources in any way they please.
Virginia Aerospace Science and Technology Program The Virginia Aerospace Science and Technology Program is a one-week, online, STEM summer program. The program focuses on NASA-related research provided by NASA's STEM professionals.
Virginia Commonwealth STEM Industry Internship Program (CSIIP) The Virginia Commonwealth STEM Industry Internship Program or CSIIP, provides an online internship application system for STEM majors. This was done for the people to meet the increasing demand for citizens with STEM majors.
Virginia Earth System Science Scholars The Virginia Earth System Science Scholars is a STEM-centered program where participants participate with NASA's professional researchers. The Virginia Space Coast Scholars (VSCS) program is an online, week long, STEM-centered program that focuses on the study of NASA's missions.
William A Hiscock Space Grant Scholarship Fund The William A Hiscock Space Grant Scholarship Fund was created "in memory of William Hiscock, the former director of the Montana Space Grant." Due to his efforts, many NASA ballooning centered programs were created.

## Participating institutions

As of 2002, there are over 850 participating institutions.
Alabama Space Grant Consortium
Alaska Space Grant Consortium
Arizona Space Grant Consortium
Arkansas Space Grant Consortium
California Space Grant Consortium
Colorado Space Grant Consortium
Connecticut Space Grant Consortium
Delaware Space Grant Consortium
Florida Space Grant Consortium
Georgia Space Grant Consortium
Hawai'i Space Grant Consortium
Idaho Space Grant Consortium
Illinois Space Grant Consortium
Indiana Space Grant Consortium
Iowa Space Grant Consortium
Kansas Space Grant Consortium
Kentucky Space Grant Consortium
Louisiana Space Grant Consortium
Maine Space Grant Consortium
Maryland Space Grant Consortium
Massachusetts Space Grant Consortium
Michigan Space Grant Consortium
Minnesota Space Grant Consortium
Mississippi Space Grant Consortium
Missouri Space Grant Consortium
Montana Space Grant Consortium
Nebraska Space Grant Consortium
Nevada Space Grant Consortium
New Hampshire Space Grant Consortium
New Jersey Space Grant Consortium
New Mexico Space Grant Consortium
New York Space Grant Consortium
North Carolina Space Grant Consortium
* North Carolina State University
North Dakota Space Grant Consortium
Ohio Space Grant Consortium
Oklahoma Space Grant Consortium
Oregon Space Grant Consortium
Pennsylvania Space Grant Consortium
Puerto Rico Space Grant Consortium
Rhode Island Space Grant Consortium
South Carolina Space Grant Consortium
* College of Charleston
South Dakota Space Grant Consortium
Tennessee Space Grant Consortium
Texas Space Grant Consortium
Utah Space Grant Consortium
* University of Utah, lead institution
* Brigham Young University
* Utah State University
Vermont Space Grant Consortium
* University of Vermont, lead institution
Virginia Space Grant Consortium
* College of William & Mary
* Hampton University
* Old Dominion University
* University of Virginia
* Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Washington D.C. NASA Space Grant Consortium
* American University
Washington NASA Space Grant Consortium
* University of Washington
West Virginia Space Grant Consortium
* West Virginia University
Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium
* Carthage College
* Lawrence University
* University of Wisconsin–Green Bay
Wyoming NASA Space Grant Consortium
* University of Wyoming