The United States Space Academy is a proposed American service academy for space-related operations. It was announced on 28 August 2026 by President Donald Trump, and is slated to act as a training academy for NASA, the U.S. Space Force, and the private spaceflight sector.Sources:
It is planned to be fully operational by 2031.: "An ambitious timeline is outlined in the request, calling for... a permanent location in operation by 2031."
The proposed Space Academy may be similar in operation to the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and West Point; however, it will not be a purely military institution, being led by NASA and training civilians in addition to cadets.Sources: : "This would be an entirely new academy, perhaps similar in design to the US Merchant Marine Academy,..."
: "The U.S. Space Academy won't be a purely military institution in the mold of the Naval Academy or West Point. It will be led by NASA, and one of its core functions will be educating future scientists, engineers and astronauts, as well as warfighters."
Purpose The proposed academy is planned to not be solely for commissioning officers into the armed services, unlike most other federal service academies. Upon graduation, there will be a multi-year service obligation; however, a majority of outgoing students are projected to join the civilian sector, with a few slots being allocated for Space Force officer contracts.
Establishment Background
Space has been highly prioritized by Trump during both of his terms in office. In 2017, he established the Artemis program for a lunar return.: "During his first term in office, Trump undertook several actions supporting space exploration.... He established the Artemis program, to return astronauts to the Moon, in 2017.... Given this record, it’s not surprising that Trump has continued to show interest in space during his second term." In December 2019, he signed into law the bill that established the Space Force as the sixth branch of the U.S. military. Citing "grave threats" to national security, he said the new service would help the U.S. "deter aggression and control the ultimate high ground." On 20 August 2026, he signed a National Security Presidential Memorandum, calling for U.S. ranges to enable "more than 1,000 launches and reentries every year” by 2030.: "... this month’s National Security Presidential Memorandum... calls for U.S. ranges to support 'more than 1,000 launches and reentries every year' by 2030."
Trump announced that he would sign the executive order establishing the academy while presenting the Congressional Space Medal of Honor to Artemis II crew members. The mission was part of his administration's plan to return humans to the Moon by 2028.
Presidential Commission on the United States Space Academy The Presidential Commission on the United States Space Academy was established on 28 August 2026 by a presidential proclamation. The Presidential Commission on the United States Space Academy, which was established by executive order, will be responsible for the creation of the institution.
+ Commission leaders and membersPositionIncumbentAgencyStartAppointer Chair Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Jared Isaacman National Aeronautics and Space Administration 28 August 2026 Trump Vice Chairs Assistant to the President for Science and Technology Michael Kratsios Office of Science and Technology Policy 28 August 2026 Trump Assistant to the President for Economic Policy Kevin Hassett National Economic Council 28 August 2026 Trump Executive Director Deputy Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Matthew P. Anderson National Aeronautics and Space Administration 28 August 2026 Trump Members United States Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth Department of Defense 28 August 2026 Trump Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff Susie Wiles White House Office 28 August 2026 Trump Director of the Office of Management and Budget Russell Vought Office of Management and Budget 28 August 2026 Trump Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs Marco Rubio National Security Council 28 August 2026 Trump Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink Air Force 28 August 2026 Trump
Other commission members may be appointed in the future, although they must be employed by the federal government and chosen by the Chairs.
First meeting On 9 September 2026, the Presidential Commission held its first meeting, which was attended by Hegseth, Isaacson, and Meink in addition to others.: "During his brief remarks at the meeting's outset, Hegseth praised Isaacman and Air Force Secretary Troy Meink — both of whom attended —..." After the meeting—in which Isaacson remarked that the U.S. was in another space race with China and Russia and that success in such a race would come down to months, and not years—NASA set a short timeline for the project's completion: States were asked to submit their proposals by 26 October that year, groundbreaking was supposed to be done by 2027, a temporary campus for the first class of 300 students was supposed to be set up by 2028, and the academy's permanent location was supposed to be operational by 2031.Sources: : "During his opening statement, Isaacson said that the U.S. is currently in another space race, namely with China and Russia, and that 'success and failure comes down to months, not years.'" : "The space agency has set a quick timeline for the project: States are encouraged to submit a proposal by Oct. 26, 2026.... The request calls for a groundbreaking by 2027, as well as a temporary campus for the first class of 300 students in 2028. The timeline in the RFI has the academy's permanent location in operation by 2031."
Location According to the initial presidential proclamation, the Presidential Commission on the U.S. Space Academy has the responsibility to specify the process for the selection of the physical location of the academy.: "... the Commission shall submit to the President... a report proposing... (v) the process for selection of the permanent physical location of the Space Academy..." Shortly after his announcement, Trump indicated that he would be choosing the location himself.: "'I’m going to be choosing a location very shortly,' Trump said Friday." However, of 19 September 2026, no location has been specified for the academy, although it is likely to be situated near existing NASA facilities according to Eric Berger.: "No location has been chosen for the academy, but it may be near existing NASA facilities or workforce expertise."
On 9 September 2026, NASA, following the Presidential Commission's first meeting, released an RFI in which states were asked to submit their proposals by 26 October.: "NASA released a request for information on Sept. 9, following a meeting that NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman held in Washington for the occasion. The space agency has set a quick timeline for the project: States are encouraged to submit a proposal by Oct. 26, 2026." In response to the request, several states including Louisiana, Alabama, Texas, and Florida announced that they would apply and compete for the academy's location. Ted Cruz had already expressed his interest in hosting the academy in Texas upon the 28 August announcement.: "Joking that Sen. Ted Cruz was already interested in hosting the new academy in Texas, Trump continued: 'Everybody wants it because it’s the hot thing. Space is the hot thing.'"
Reception and criticism Trump's announcement drew comparisons to the Starfleet Academy—a fictional institution with a somewhat similar objective in the Star Trek series—notably by George Whitesides and Eric Berger.Sources:
: "... some might see the proposed U.S. Space Academy as a step on the way to Star Trek’s Starfleet Academy,..."
: "... there is also the somewhat romantic notion that the United States needs a “Starfleet Academy” as humans become an increasingly spacefaring species."
Brent Ziarnick, writing for RealClearDefense, called Trump's vision for the academy "exactly right" and its timing "fortuitous",: "That expansive vision is exactly right.... The timing is fortuitous, because the Space Force is currently creating the personnel system capable of making such a concept possible." since the announcement was made just when the Space Force started building its part-time personnel body.: "In July, the first 18 Guardians entered part-time Space Force positions. The service is therefore building its part-time force at almost precisely the moment the nation is considering how to build its Space Academy." He stated that the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy provided an example of an institution which has been performing a similar mission in the maritime domain, educating both civilian and military professionals.: "But if the United States wants an academy capable of bringing these communities together, it should look to an institution that has quietly performed a similar mission for the maritime domain for generations: the United States Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, New York.... The USMMA is not simply another military academy. Administered by the Department of Transportation's Maritime Administration, Kings Point educates officers for America's entire maritime enterprise." He also said that the academy would make an unprecedented contribution to U.S. human capital by producing a body of space professionals spread out over the country's civilian and military sectors.: "The result would be something America has never possessed: a corps of space professionals distributed throughout the nation's civil, commercial, and military space communities but joined by a common education, professional identity, and commitment to national service." Recommending that the Space Force should establish something similar to the Navy's Strategic Sealift Officer program, he argued that graduates' experience in civilian space activities would add to their military value.: "... the Space Force should develop a career path modeled in part on the Navy's Strategic Sealift Officer program. The Navy understands that a merchant mariner's civilian profession is not an unfortunate distraction from military service. It is precisely the expertise that makes that officer valuable to the Navy."