President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order to establish the nation's first U.S. Space Academy, NASA announced on Friday. The order aims to build a specialized workforce for military and civil space operations as commercial activity and lunar exploration expand.
The proposed institution will combine technical education with leadership development, discipline, and public service. President Trump stated that rapid growth across the U.S. Space Force and the commercial space industry requires training a new generation of service members, engineers, and civil operators.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman will serve as chair of the newly established Presidential Commission on the United States Space Academy. NASA Deputy Administrator Matt Anderson will act as executive director, working alongside vice chairs Michael Kratsios, Assistant to the President for Science and Technology, and Kevin Hassett, Assistant to the President for Economic Policy.
The commission must submit a formal report to the President within 120 days of the signing. Its recommendations will address the academy's governance framework, physical location, legislative requirements, and service obligations for graduating students.
Graduates of the academy will support upcoming initiatives including returning astronauts to the lunar surface, building a Moon Base, deploying nuclear power, and expanding the orbital economy, according to Isaacman.
The signing ceremony took place at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, where President Trump also presented the Artemis II crew members with the Congressional Space Medal of Honor. The directive follows the Ensuring American Space Superiority order signed in December 2025 and a National Space Transportation Policy memorandum issued on Aug. 20.
