On September 2 (US time), US President Donald Trump announced that the US Space Command (SPACECOM) will be moved from Colorado Springs, Colorado, to Huntsville, Alabama. He said the Huntsville selection plan had been in place since his time in office but was hampered by the administration of former President Joe Biden.
In the message, Mr. Trump emphasized that Huntsville has long been famous for its pioneering role in space programs, where many early- development and testing US missile models at the Redstone Arsenal base were built. The city has also been known as the missile city for decades.
Previously, in 2021, the US Air Force identified Huntsville as the priority choice for SPACECOM headquarters. However, in 2023, Mr. Biden decided to keep the headquarters in Colorado Springs, citing the need to ensure uninterrupted operations. The decision has fueled fierce competition between Colorado and Alabama for years.
The move of SPACECOM headquarters is expected to create more jobs in Alabama, but it is also controversial. Governor Colorado Jared Polis expressed his disappointment, saying the decision weakens military readiness and affected the US people's confidence in the leadership.
SPACECOM was established in 1985, dissolved in 2002 to merge into the Strategic Command, and re-established in 2019. With the task of managing space operations, SPACECOM is considered a pillar in modern conflict, when much of the military technology depends on satellite systems and sensory networks in orbit.
