Secretary of War Pete Hegseth attended the first meeting of a presidential commission charged with designing a U.S. Space Academy, which met at NASA headquarters in Washington today.
President Trump issued an executive order on August 28 calling for the academy's development, citing space as critical to national security. The commission, chaired by NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, includes senior leaders from the War Department, the Office of Management and Budget, and the National Security Council.
In remarks at the meeting, Hegseth said the administration is "full speed ahead" on the academy. "We need to dominate [in space]; and it's not just what we do at the War Department — it's what we do across government, at NASA, in private industry, in collaboration at every echelon," he said.
Isaacman told the commission that the United States is engaged in another space race with China and Russia, and that "success and failure comes down to months, not years." He said Trump established the Space Force in 2019 and is now charging officials to create the U.S. Space Academy as part of ensuring American dominance in space.
Air Force Secretary Troy Meink said the academy would serve as a training ground for "the next generation of technicians, engineers, operators, pilots and astronauts to serve the needs of NASA, as well as the Space Force and other government agencies."
The commission has until late December to submit a report to the president with key details for establishing the academy.