United States Space Academy

Not to be confused with Space Academy, a Space Camp program at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center.

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.

The proposed Space Academy may be similar in operation to the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and West Point.

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 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."

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.

Position	Incumbent	Agency	Start	Appointer
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
Secretary of War		Pete Hegseth	Department of War	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 (United States)	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.

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. However, Trump has indicated that he will be choosing the location himself.

As of 5 September 2026, no location has been specified for the academy, but it is likely to be situated near existing NASA facilities according to Eric Berger.