U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Friday to establish a military space academy, drawing comparisons to the nation’s existing service academies at West Point and Annapolis.
The order, signed during a visit to the Johnson Space Center in Houston, aims to attract, train and develop personnel for the U.S. Space Force, NASA and the broader civil spaceflight industry. Trump announced the initiative alongside NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman and was joined by U.S. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, who has advocated for locating the academy in his state.
During the visit, Trump also honored the Artemis II crew, recognizing their lunar flyby mission conducted earlier in the year. The president reiterated plans for a crewed mission to Mars in 2028, involving the launch of a nuclear-powered interplanetary spacecraft.
Trump’s order follows his establishment of the Space Force as an independent military branch during his first term. His visit to Houston coincided with a Republican Party fundraising event as the party prepares for the November midterm elections.
