Trump Signs Executive Order Creating US Space Academy
Key Points
- Trump signed an executive order on August 28, 2026, at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston to establish the US Space Academy.
- The presidential commission overseeing the academy will be led by NASA administrator Jared Isaacman and include Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Air Force Secretary Troy Meink, and OMB Director Russ Vought.
- Graduates will serve the US Space Force, NASA, and the civilian flight industry, modeled after prestigious military academies like West Point and Annapolis.
The announcement occurred during ceremonies honoring the four-person Artemis II crew, who received the Congressional Space Medal of Honor—the highest civilian honor in the US for achievement in space flight. The crew consisted of NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, along with Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen. The crew had looped around the far side of the moon in April 2026, advancing the Trump administration's timeline to return astronauts to the moon by 2028.
Space exploration has been a central policy focus for Trump across his two terms. In December 2019, Trump signed legislation establishing the Space Force as the sixth branch of the US military. At that time, he declared: "There are grave threats to our national security. The Space Force will help us deter aggression and control the ultimate high ground." The Space Academy announcement extends that commitment by creating an institutional pipeline to train the next generation of space professionals.
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At Friday's ceremony, the Artemis II crew presented Trump with a blue flight jacket bearing the NASA logo. Victor Glover addressed the president directly, saying: "Mr President, when we were in your office and you were so gracious to us—lavishing us with gifts and so much of your time—we had mentioned getting you one of these blue flight jackets. And so here we have your jacket today."
The Space Academy marks the first new service academy established since the Air Force Academy opened in 1954, representing a significant expansion of the nation's institutional infrastructure for space training. The presidential commission will now move forward with designing the academy's curriculum, location, and operational structure to begin producing graduates for the Space Force, NASA, and private aerospace companies.
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What Happens Next
The Isaacman-led commission will likely spend the next 12-18 months developing the Space Academy's framework, including site selection, curriculum standards, and admission criteria. Congress may need to appropriate funding for construction and operations. The academy could begin accepting applicants by 2027 or 2028 if the administration maintains its timeline, positioning it to produce graduates for the moon return missions planned for 2028.
Sources: Al Jazeera and other international news outlets.
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