President Donald Trump announced on Friday the establishment of a national academy in the United States dedicated to training future recruits for NASA and the Space Force, amidst escalating competition in the field, particularly with China.
During an awards ceremony at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Trump stated, “I will sign an executive order that initiates the process of creating a new national academy. This will be called the US Space Academy.”
The Republican leader emphasized the significance of the initiative, saying, “Its mission will be to attract, train, and graduate the best talents our country has to offer.” He noted that the academy will serve not only NASA but also the private space industry and the United States Space Force, the sixth branch of the military which he established during his first term.
The location of the new Space Academy has yet to be determined.
This announcement comes at a time when space has become a focal point in strategic rivalries, particularly military and technological ones. The Trump administration has openly committed to a “second space race” against Beijing, referring to the historical competition between the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War.
Both superpowers aim to send astronauts to the Moon by 2030 and to establish a base there.
