The United States will establish a space academy dedicated to outer space, following the existing academies for the Army, Navy, and Air Force.
On the 28th (local time), U.S. President Donald Trump visited NASA’s Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, where he announced the establishment of a “U.S. Space Academy” and signed the related executive order. Trump said, “In my first term, I created the Space Force, the sixth branch of the U.S. military, and today I am making another historic announcement.”
The executive order states that it is government policy to educate and cultivate the next generation of leaders in the space domain and strengthen the nation’s space workforce. Trump also directed the creation of a presidential commission to report key details for establishing the academy within 120 days. The commission will be chaired by Jared Isaacman, NASA administrator, and include Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and the Secretary of the Air Force as members.
◆ “If you are second in space, you cannot be first on Earth”
Trump cited intensifying competition in space as the background for creating the academy. He emphasized, “It is truly exciting to think about the rapid growth of the Space Force and the private space industry, and the growing ambition to go to the Moon and beyond. We need to train and educate a generation made up of talent across all fields, including skilled soldiers, engineers, and civilian operators.”
He also stressed security-related reasoning. Trump said the space sector is “essential to the economy and national security,” adding, “If you are trying to be second in space, you cannot be first on Earth.” He said that major U.S. military operations, including this year’s early effort to oust Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and the ongoing maritime blockade around the Strait of Hormuz against Iran, are supported by Space Force Command.
This announcement follows Trump’s creation of the Space Force during his first term. It is seen as a move that shifts the focus beyond building weapons and organizations to developing the personnel needed to operate them at the national level.
◆ Medals for Artemis astronauts, reaffirming a return to the Moon during his term
At the event, Trump awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honor to astronauts from the crew of Artemis II, which recently returned to Earth after completing a lunar mission.
He also reaffirmed his commitment to a renewed Moon landing. Trump said, “Before my term ends in January 2028, American astronauts will return to the Moon’s surface,” adding, “They will plant a flag at the site of the first permanent American settlement on the Moon.”
He later moved to the control center and held a video call with crew members aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Trump urged them to stay safe and said he would invite them to the Oval Office once they return to Earth.
The U.S. push into space also carries implications for South Korea. South Korea launched the Korea AeroSpace Administration last year and has begun in earnest to enter space development. The U.S. trend of pouring national capabilities into training space talent across both military and civilian sectors offers lessons for South Korea’s strategy to secure talent as a later entrant.