The US Mission to the International Organizations in Vienna launched Project Constellation at the second annual US Space Forum, a $5 million initiative designed to strengthen international partnerships in space exploration and policy. The program will run talent exchanges, delegation visits, and training over the next two years to connect emerging space nations with US companies while aligning foreign governments’ civil and commercial space positions at the UN’s Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) and General Assembly. Wells Griffith, the ambassador of the US Mission to International Organizations in Vienna, emphasized the long-term strategic importance of engaging emerging space nations early, stating that ‘today’s aspiring, emerging, and developing space nations will be tomorrow’s satellite constellation operators.’ This initiative reflects a deliberate shift in US space diplomacy from exclusive bilateral agreements to inclusive multilateral engagement, targeting a broader global audience.
Project Constellation represents the State Department’s second space-diplomacy push in as many months, following the Space Catalyst Partnership (SCP) unveiled by Secretary of State Marco Rubio in September 2026. While the SCP focuses on Artemis Accords signatories—starting with a $6.5 million award over two years for satellite internet in rural southern Peru—the new initiative adopts a broader, multilateral approach. The broader scope of Project Constellation signals a strategic pivot toward inclusive multilateral engagement.
To operationalize this multilateral vision, the State Department has tapped three organizations to manage different facets of the initiative. Meridian International Center will manage the initiative’s strategic planning, program execution, partner coordination, financial oversight, and exchange programs by leveraging its diplomatic and industry networks. The Commercial Space Federation (CSF) will lead the commercial side, focusing on procurement and business partnerships with US companies to support cross-border business relationships. SPACEAIMS will handle law, policy, governance, and diplomacy, conducting country assessments, policy dialogues, and training.
Kelli Kedis Ogborn, a strategic advisor at the Commercial Space Federation, pointed out that US firms are already supplying technological capabilities and establishing international partnerships that turn cooperative rhetoric into practical action.
Project Constellation will begin with early-awareness efforts targeting US foreign service officers and the US embassy community to ensure visibility and alignment of diplomatic networks with the program’s goals. Over the next two years, the initiative will engage with more than 70 countries globally, though the initiative will develop country-specific plans with individual nations. The program includes plans for the 2027 and 2028 US Space Forums, as well as reciprocal visits: international leaders will travel to the US, while American commercial space leaders will visit emerging space nations. These exchanges foster direct engagement and collaboration between stakeholders from different regions, bridging gaps between emerging space nations and US commercial entities.
The initiative’s outreach strategy will include a partnership-pitch competition, innovation showcases, and investor engagement to attract participation and highlight collaborative opportunities. These activities translate diplomatic efforts into tangible commercial collaborations. Project Constellation promotes US policy frameworks as a model for global adoption.
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