Trump signs executive order to establish U.S. Space Academy

President Donald Trump signed an executive order to establish the first U.S. Space Academy. The surprise announcement was made Friday during an event honoring the four-member Artemis II crew at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Texas.

Speaking before astronauts and NASA staff, Trump described the training facility as "a big deal" and said it would be "top of the line." He said, "I will sign an executive order to begin the process of establishing a new national academy. It's called the U.S. Space Academy."

The president compared the space academy to other prestigious U.S. service academies, such as the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, and the Military Academy at West Point, New York. These schools, similar to universities, prepare some young men and women to become officers in the armed forces.

The order also establishes a new presidential commission tasked with "advising and assisting" Trump in establishing the academy. The commission is chaired by NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman and includes senior administration officials such as Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink, and White House Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought.

The president said graduates of the new academy will serve the U.S. Space Force, NASA, and the civilian aerospace industry. "It will attract, train, and produce the best of our nation," he added.

Space has been a major priority during Trump's two terms in the White House. In December 2019, he signed into law the creation of the Space Force, marking the birth of America's sixth military branch. At the time, he said, "There are serious threats to our national security. The Space Force will help us deter aggression and control the ultimate high ground."

At Friday's ceremony, Trump awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honor to the four Artemis II crew members: NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen. This is America's highest civilian honor for achievements in spaceflight.

In April, the Artemis II crew flew around the far side of the Moon, taking humans farther into space than ever before. The mission is a key step in Trump's plan to return astronauts to the Moon by 2028.

At the event, the Artemis II crew also gave Trump a gift: a blue flight jacket with the NASA logo. Astronaut Glover said, "Mr. President, when we were in your office and you were so gracious, we mentioned giving you one of these blue flight jackets. And today we brought yours."

The future of the Artemis exploration program remains uncertain. In May, an uncrewed Blue Origin rocket exploded at the launch pad in Cape Canaveral, Florida, damaging the area and raising questions about NASA's readiness for upcoming missions.

The Artemis III mission was originally planned to return humans to the Moon. But in February, NASA canceled that plan, instead announcing that Artemis III would focus on Earth orbit rehearsals to ensure safety for future lunar missions. The mission will practice docking with mockups of lunar landers from private companies Blue Origin and SpaceX. In June, NASA announced the new crew members for the two-week Artemis III mission, which is expected to take place next year.