Alabama’s entire congressional delegation is united in calling for the newly created U.S. Space Academy to be located in the northern part of the state.
President Donald Trump created the U.S. Space Academy through an executive order last month. The new federal academy would provide technical education and leadership development to students preparing to enter careers in the space industry such as astronauts and engineers.
In a letter Monday (Sept. 14) to NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman and the Presidential Commission on the United States Space Academy, the state’s nine-member delegation urged the group to consider Alabama as the future home of the academy.
“North Alabama brings together the civil, commercial and national security capabilities necessary to support the next generation of space leaders,” Alabama lawmakers wrote.
‘Uniquely prepared’
U.S. Rep. Dale Strong, R-Huntsville, led the delegation’s letter in which the group highlighted that Huntsville already boasts NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, the Missile Defense Agency and is becoming the new headquarters of the U.S. Space Command.
“With these considerations in mind, North Alabama stands uniquely prepared to support the Academy’s mission and build upon NASA’s efforts to recruit, train and retain the next generation of highly educated and technically specialized aerospace talent,” the delegation wrote.
NASA hopes to move fast on developing the academy from the ground up. The commission overseeing the creation of the Space Academy has asked states for input to help decide the path forward and to provide potential locations to host the new academy. States must submit their information by Oct. 26.
Once a site is selected, a groundbreaking could happen no later than 2027, with the first students slated to start in 2028, according to NASA. The space agency aims to have a permanent location operational for the academy by 2031.
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EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Alex Angle and originally published by Alabama Daily News.
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