Keith’s note: “Request for Information: Creation of The United States Space Academy” has been released. According to NASA: “Less than two weeks after an Executive Order was signed to create the first United States Space Academy, NASA-led work is in full swing to make the academy a reality and shape the future of America’s aerospace workforce and leadership.”
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman chaired the first Presidential Commission on the United States Space Academy meeting on Sept. 9. Following that meeting, NASA published a Request for Information Thursday seeking input from governors or their designees interested in hosting and sponsoring the up-and-coming academy in their state.
“Our first Commission meeting made clear how much talent and commitment we have behind President Trump’s vision for the U.S. Space Academy,” said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman. “I’m grateful to our partners across government for getting right to work. Now, with the RFI underway, states across the country have an opportunity to help us shape a legacy institution built for America’s future in space.”
Isaacman and Deputy Administrator Matt Anderson welcomed key commission members from multiple agencies and organizations to NASA Headquarters in Washington for a collaborative commission discussion. Participants included U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Director of the National Economic Council Kevin Hassett, Secretary of the United States Air Force Troy Meink, and U.S. Chief Technology Officer Ethan Klein, representing Director of Office and Technology Policy Michael Kratsios, along with representatives from the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, the National Security Council, and the White House.
During the meeting, commission members began working through the structure and priorities of the proposed U.S. Space Academy, including its governance, curriculum, service commitments, partnerships, and implementation.
“The location of the U.S. Space Academy is foundational to its success,” said Anderson. “We’re asking states to bring their strongest vision — the infrastructure, the partnerships, and the community that can compete with the elite options this caliber of student will have and match the boundless ambition of our future space leaders.”
The commission’s 120-day mandate to develop recommendations for President Trump on how to establish the academy and build the technical talent and leadership pipeline needed to support America’s long-term goals in space began when the President signed the Executive Order on Aug. 28.
Responses to the RFI will help inform the commission’s path forward to selecting a location for the institution and are due by 6 p.m. EDT on Monday, Oct. 26. An ambitious timeline is outlined in the request, calling for a groundbreaking no later than 2027, temporarily hosting the first 300 students in 2028, and a permanent location in operation by 2031.
Each state is allowed one submission to the Announcement via its governor’s designee. In addition to details about resources available to support the academy, input sought on the potential campus includes:
- Location information
- Site readiness
- Environmental and regulatory considerations
- Proximity and supporting ecosystems
A fact sheet on the U.S. Space Academy is available on The White House website.
“Request for Information: Creation of The United States Space Academy” has been released. “On Aug. 28, 2026, President Donald J. Trump issued Executive Order (E.O.) 14423, Establishing the United States Space Academy.”
To answer that call, the United States Space Academy (USSA) is envisioned as a NASA-led, civilian Federal academic institution that combines rigorous technical education with disciplined leadership development, civic responsibility, and a lasting commitment to public service. The Academy will prepare future scientists, engineers, astronauts, pilots, operators, entrepreneurs, civil servants, warfighters, and other leaders to advance American interests across the aerospace sector.
Through this Request for Information (RFI), NASA invites each State to submit one official State-sponsored response prepared by a “Responding Entity” and coordinated and formally endorsed by a State Selecting Official. The Governor must designate both the Responding Entity and the State Selecting Official in writing. The response should provide information to support NASA’s assessment of potential locations and operating solutions for the United States Space Academy (USSA). That assessment will inform NASA’s recommendation to the Commission.
NASA’s objectives for this announcement are to:
Identify potential locations for the permanent establishment of the USSA campus, including a groundbreaking no later than 2027.
Identify interim solutions that may allow the USSA to begin instruction in 2028 and facilitate a smooth transition to a permanent campus by 2031.
Explore the estimated costs of establishing the USSA and potential state, local, and other non-Federal partnerships that could support its establishment.
Information obtained through this RFI will be used by NASA and the Commission to develop the recommended process for selecting the Academy’s permanent physical location, which will be reported to the President for decision. A separate announcement for formal proposals may be issued at a later date.
