NASA moving at warp speed to set up US Space Academy

Ultimately, however, this will be a political process. NASA will initially review and rate the proposals, which will then be considered by a presidential commission appointed by Donald Trump and chaired by NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman. Members of this commission include Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. Trump will make the final decision, which will likely favor red or Republican-leaning states. Some significant questions still remain about the Space Academy two weeks after Trump announced the initiative and the special commission was created. Perhaps most importantly is the distinction between a NASA-led, civil space academy and the US military service academies it appears to be modeled upon. The document states that the academy will produce “future scientists, engineers, astronauts, pilots, operators, entrepreneurs, civil servants, warfighters, and other leaders to advance American interests across the aerospace sector.” The continued advancement of US space interests will require a new generation of leaders with interdisciplinary backgrounds capable of responding to changes in spaceflight and leading the nation into the future. Although Trump did not formally say so during his announcement of the academy, there is also the somewhat romantic notion that the United States needs a “Starfleet Academy” as humans become an increasingly spacefaring species. The aggressive timeline to create the academy also reflects a recognition of the political times. For now, Trump and his fellow Republicans control the White House and both houses of Congress. That may change with the midterm elections in November, when Democrats have an opportunity to take back the House and Senate. The call for the Space Academy’s creation has produced a mixed reaction from Democrats. Perhaps most critical was Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), who called the plan “duplicative, costly, and unserious.” This is perhaps not surprising given that the new institution could compete with the US Air Force Academy in Colorado. “To duplicate that effort at a time when our national deficit is soaring is reckless and makes a dire situation even worse,” he said. Some Democrats have been less hostile but want more representation. Rep. Zoe Lofgren, a Democrat from California and ranking member of the House Science, Space and Technology Committee, said the lack of congressional participation in the commission is “going to have to change.” Rep. George Whitesides (D-Calif.) is one of the most well-versed people in Congress, as he formerly served as NASA’s chief of staff. He called the idea “intriguing” but raised questions about where funding would come from and wanted more information about the purpose. Like Lofgren, he said Congress needed to be more involved. Notably, the proposed timeline in the new document calls for classes to begin in 2028 before Trump leaves office.