Alabama Governor Kay Ivey announced Thursday that Alabama has formally applied to host the proposed United States Space Academy, naming Huntsville as the state’s preferred location.
Ivey has submitted Alabama’s initial response to the Presidential Commission on the United States Space Academy, chaired by NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, urging the commission to select Huntsville as the academy’s future location.
“Alabama helped send America to moon, and we are ready to help prepare the Americans who will take us even further,” Ivey said. “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.”
The proposed academy is not a typical service academy like West Point or Annapolis, which require congressional approval to be established. While some academy graduates are expected to serve in the Space Force, the facility will also provide training for individuals seeking roles at NASA or in the civilian sector.
The state’s bid to host the academy cites Huntsville’s historic importance to U.S. space exploration, national defense, research and workforce development.
“Huntsville’s concentration of federal, military, academic and industry expertise positions Alabama to support the academy’s mission of developing scientists, engineers,astronauts and other leaders who will advance American interests in space,” Ivey’s office wrote. “The region’s record of innovation spans the Apollo program and through today’s space exploration and national security missions.”
State and local government officials, including Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle, have pushed for the city’s selection.
“Huntsville’s legacy in space exploration is more than just our history—the city is a living, thriving engine for America’s future,” Battle said.
“From pioneering the Saturn V rocket to advancing next-generation propulsion and defense technologies, the Rocket City has always answered the nation’s call with inspiration and innovation,” Battle continued. “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.”
Ivey sent her official pitch just a day before President Donald Trump is set to visit Mobile.
“Alabama has never lacked the ingenuity or determination to take on a mission of national importance,” Ivey said. “With President Trump’s leadership charting a bold course for America’s future in space, we would be proud to help build an academy that strengthens our nation’s leadership for generations to come.”
A presidential executive order in late August directed the creation of the U.S. Space Academy.
The order seeks to begin temporary instruction at the academy in late 2028 and have a permanent campus operational by 2031.
Isaacman chaired the first meeting of the Presidential Commission on the United States Space Academy on September 9. The day after the meeting, NASA published a request for information seeking input from state governors or their designees interested in hosting and sponsoring the academy in their states.
Alongside Alabama, officials from states including Florida, Indiana, Nevada, Ohio, Louisiana and Texas have launched bids for the proposed academy.
States face an initial proposal deadline in late October. The commission is expected to make a final site decision by early 2027.
