Huntsville vies for new location of U.S. Space Academy

In what would seem to be a natural fit, Huntsville could become the site of the proposed United States Space Academy. Gov. Kay Ivey said she officially submitted Huntsville as a candidate for the academy Oct. 1.

The U.S. Space Academy was proposed by Pres. Donald Trump on Aug. 28, 2026 as a NASA-led federal academy designed to combine technical education with leadership training for NASA, the U.S. Space Force and the commercial space industry.

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Ivey pushes for Huntsville to land U.S. Space Academy

The U.S. Space Academy would focus on technical education and leadership development, discipline and a commitment to public service, helping ultimately advance U.S. interests in space.

The official pitch from Ivey and Alabama came on the heels of Pres. Trump’s recent visit to the state in August. Ivey said Huntsville’s candidacy seems to be a natural fit, considering the city’s history in the country’s space program and the ongoing movement of the U.S. Space Command headquarters to Redstone Arsenal.

“Alabama helped send America to the moon, and we are ready to help prepare the Americans who will take us even further. With Space Command Headquarters soon coming to Huntsville, NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, Space Camp and generations of aerospace expertise, Alabama brings an exceptional foundation to this competition.

We are making a strong case for the United States Space Academy to call the Rocket City home.”

_{Gov. Kay Ivey}

Mayor Tommy Battle said the city is ready to welcome the proposed academy.

“With world class STEM education pipelines, a highly skilled workforce and unmatched collaboration across our partners on Redstone Arsenal, Huntsville stands ready to shape the next chapter of America’s leadership in space.

The U.S. Space Academy belongs in a place where innovation is in our DNA, and that place is Huntsville.”

_{Mayor Tommy Battle}

A decision on the site of the U.S. Space Academy is expected in early 2027, following a presidential commission report to President Trump—including recommendations on governance framework, service obligations for graduates, physical location of the academy, legislative requirements and more—by December 26, 2026.

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