MONTGOMERY, Ala. — The U.S. Air Force is expected to announce Huntsville, Alabama as the location for the U.S. Space Command headquarters, according to Alabama’s governor.
The development is a blow to Colorado, which was among the leading state’s thought to land the command headquarters.
Colorado Governor Jared Polis and Lt. Governor Dianne Primavera on Wednesday released the following statement in response to reports that the Trump administration is relocating U.S. Space Command from Colorado Springs to Alabama.
“Colorado’s proud military heritage, unparalleled aerospace ecosystem, and unmatched quality of life for our service members and their families make us the epicenter of national security space and the only permanent home for U.S. Space Command,” the statement said. “Reports that the in-depth military process found Colorado Springs to be the best location for military readiness and cost and recommended Colorado to the President only to be overruled for politically motivated reasons are deeply concerning. This move threatens jobs, could cause serious economic damage, and upend the lives of hundreds of military and civilian families that were counting on U.S Space Command staying at home in Colorado Springs as well as harm military readiness. It would negatively impact the mission which Colorado Springs has been flawlessly executing, ensuring our national security in the space domain. This misguided decision would cost American taxpayers potentially billions of dollars and would be fiscally irresponsible if it is allowed to stand. We pledge to work with our federal delegation to restore integrity to the process as it unfolds. The work of so many partners in Colorado Springs and across the state has been critical to the shared effort to keep U.S. Space Command in Colorado, and we are grateful for their partnership.”
Albama Gov. Kay Ivey said that Huntsville’s Redstone Region is set to house the headquarters for the newest U.S. military branch. The governor said she was informed of the decision Wednesday morning. An official announcement was set for Wednesday afternoon.
“Our state has long provided exceptional support for our military and their families as well as a rich and storied history when it comes to space exploration,” Ivey said in a statement.
Huntsville’s nickname, Rocket City, is thanks largely to Wernher von Braun and his team of fellow German-born rocketeers who settled here in the 1950s. The city has long been home to the Army’s Redstone Arsenal and NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center.
“The bottom line is simple, the Redstone Region is the most natural choice to become home to such an important mission for our country,” Ivey said.
Ivey’s office said Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Instillations Bob Moriarity called Ivey to inform her of Secretary Barbara Barrett’s decision over where the headquarters would be.
Other locations that were considered included Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico, Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska, Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado and Port San Antonio in Texas.
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