2026 Space Sustainability Research Fellowship

Application Deadline: Monday, June 1, 2026, 09:00 MDT

Posted: Thursday, April 16, 2026

To investigate fundamental questions and clarify fundamental concepts in space sustainability, the Secure World Foundation announces the 2026 call for Space Sustainability Research Fellowships.

Background

The mission of the Secure World Foundation is to work with governments, industry, international organizations, and civil society to develop and promote ideas and actions to achieve the secure, sustainable, and peaceful uses of outer space, benefiting Earth and all its peoples. In the course of our work, often the underlying rationales and concepts of space sustainability become forgotten or misconstrued. Consequently, basic concepts, facts, and rationales underpinning space sustainability necessitate continued investigation, discussion, promotion, and socialization.

Each year, the SWF Space Sustainability Research Fellows are tasked with investigating and answering questions regarding one or more fundamental concepts underpinning space sustainability. In 2026, the focus will be Evaluating Models for Private Sector Participation in International Governance for Space Safety and Space Traffic Coordination

Position

The duration of the SWF Space Sustainability Research Fellowships shall be up to four months. Fellows may work in-person in the SWF offices in Broomfield, Colorado, or Washington, DC, hybrid, or entirely remotely. The Fellowships are open to non-US citizens. Fellows will update their designated SWF project manager on a weekly basis on the nature and current status of their work, and upon completion of the fellowship, will be encouraged to present their research and findings broadly. In 2026, SWF is seeking two Fellows to begin their research in the summer.

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Deliverables

Space Sustainability Research Fellows shall complete and submit a final report on their research topic, comprising between 12,000 to 16,000 words (excluding footnotes/endnotes). The report must be of publishable and professional quality, with original content not published elsewhere, and with appropriate references. In addition to a final report, a two-page executive summary shall be submitted. The report and executive summary will be posted on the SWF website, and SWF will have the right to publish and distribute them under a Creative Commons license, with the Fellow listed as the report’s main author. Fellows shall retain the right to promote and publish their work products with attribution to the SWF report publication.

The deadline for submission of the preliminary draft of the report for internal review is the end of September 2026, and the deadline for submission of the final report is the middle of November 2026.

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Call for Applications

Choose one of the following specific research areas below, and submit your proposed research agenda (400 words or less) outlining how you would work to answer the research question(s) and submit the deliverables listed above (report and executive summary). Include your current résumé or CV. Applications are due by 9:00 AM Mountain Daylight Time (MDT) / 3:00 PM Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) on Monday, June 1, 2026. No phone calls, please.

Submit to opportunities@swfound.org with the subject line: 2026 SWF Space Sustainability Research Proposal - [your last name]

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2026 Space Sustainability Research Topic

Evaluating Models for Private Sector Participation in International Governance for Space Safety and Space Traffic Coordination

The rapid growth of commercial space activities has transformed outer space into a complex, multi-stakeholder environment. Private companies now play a central role in delivering space services to global users. International space governance frameworks, however, were largely designed around nation states and struggle to effectively incorporate private sector stakeholders. This research project will evaluate existing models of private sector involvement in international governance for other domains or arenas of international coordination and develop recommendations for governance structures that could effectively support multi-stakeholder space safety and space traffic coordination (STC) governance.

The project will examine existing international governance arenas that include private sector participation, such as civil aviation (e.g., the International Civil Aviation Organization), maritime governance (e.g., the International Maritime Organization), internet governance (e.g., ICANN), spectrum management (e.g., International Telecommunications Union), and global financial regulation (e.g., the Basel Committee). Using qualitative analysis, the research will assess how these governance models incorporate industry expertise, in particular within State-centric treaty regimes, as well as how they set standards, facilitate operational coordination, and maintain flexibility to account for continuing innovation.  The goal of this analysis is to identify the relative strengths and weaknesses of each model, especially regarding private sector interests.  

The research will then assess how these governance models could translate to the space domain. Key challenges specific to space safety and STC, including data sharing, collision avoidance coordination, and debris mitigation, will be evaluated against the strengths and limitations of each model. Interviews with policy experts, industry representatives, and international governance scholars may supplement the literature research to ensure practical relevance.

The paper should conclude with policy recommendations outlining governance models most suitable for integrating private sector actors into international STC and space safety frameworks. These recommendations will include potential institutional arrangements, roles for industry participation, and mechanisms for reconciling public and private interests. By drawing lessons from established global governance systems, this research aims to provide actionable insights for developing effective, multi-stakeholder governance structures capable of managing the increasingly commercial and congested space environment.

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