U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno announced a proposal for a Space Academy at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and Wright State University during an aerospace and defense forum on Monday, Sept. 21 at Wright State’s Student Union.
The crucial next steps in securing the new U.S. Space Academy at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base could happen in the next three to five weeks, U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno said Monday, Sept. 21 at the Ohio Defense Forum at Wright State University.
Moreno said he hopes to have President Donald Trump at Wright-Patterson next fall to mark the opening of the new NASA-led Space Academy.
“We have all the stars aligned,” the Cleveland-area Republican said. “Ohio is ready to go.”
EXCLUSIVE: Ohio making case to house Space Academy in Dayton
Much work is ahead, U.S. Rep. Mike Turner, R-Dayton, cautioned. “There is a lot that needs to be done,” he said.
Trump announced his desire for the new academy Aug. 28. A federal request for information was published Sept. 10. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine’s office announced Monday it’s forming a committee to respond to that federal request.
U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno talked about renderings of features of the proposed U.S. Space Academy that Ohio leaders are hoping the Trump administration establishes at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The proposal was announced during the Ohio Defense and Aerospace Forum on Monday, Sept. 21 at Wright State University, which would be connected to the Space Academy.
Moreno himself has spoken with Trump face-to-face about the issue at the White House.
“Even from the White House’s own team, their report was that he (Moreno) knocked it out of the park” when advocating to Trump to place the new academy on Wright-Patterson, Turner said when introducing Moreno to a standing-room-only audience Monday.
The broad vision would build a pair of facilities and a new road connecting the campus of Wright State University to Wright-Patterson’s Area B. The objective is to place the $300 million academy on Area B, in close proximity to the Air Force Research Laboratory and the 711th Human Performance Wing, two missions that have (with their predecessors) been involved in the training of astronauts.
Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) discussed renderings of a proposed new Space Academy, which officials are trying to bring to a site joining Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and Wright State University, during a news conference on Monday, Sept. 21, 2026.
In fact, Air Force and Navy researchers at Wright-Patt have worked with NASA and astronauts for decades.
American and European astronauts trained on the 711th Human Performance Wing’s centrifuge at Wright-Patterson in the summer of 2025.
“We are proud to partner with domestic and international space agencies in supporting their critical space exploration missions,” Brig. Gen. Robert K. Bogart, then-commander of the 711th, said in a December account of that training.
Before Monday, Moreno told the Dayton Daily News exclusively that Ohio’s proposal includes a $300 million “multiplanetary hall” the size of four football fields to house academic and research efforts; a large “Plus Ultra Gate” at the entrance to the academy; a “drive of heroes,” a road lined with statues of Ohio’s famous astronauts and aviators to connect the base to the campus; and a golf course designed by famed Ohio golfer Jack Nicklaus.
The objective is an “elite military academy” that would train cadets to serve in the nation’s newest military branch, U.S. Space Force.
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U.S. Rep. Mike Turner (R-Dayton) talks about the proposed U.S. Space Academy that Ohio leaders are hoping the Trump administration establishes at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The proposal was announced during the Ohio Defense and Aerospace Forum on Monday, Sept. 21 at Wright State University, which would be connected to the Space Academy.
U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno talked about renderings of features of the proposed U.S. Space Academy that Ohio leaders are hoping the Trump administration establishes at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The proposal was announced during the Ohio Defense and Aerospace Forum on Monday, Sept. 21 at Wright State University, which would be connected to the Space Academy.
U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno speaks while U.S. Rep. Mike Turner (left) and Wright State University President Sue Edwards (left) listen while Moreno announces a proposal for U.S. Space Academy that Ohio leaders are hoping the Trump administration establishes at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The proposal was announced during the Ohio Defense and Aerospace Forum on Monday, Sept. 21 at Wright State, which would be connected to the Space Academy.
U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno (right) speaks while U.S. Rep. Mike Turner (left) listens while Moreno announces a proposal for U.S. Space Academy that Ohio leaders are hoping the Trump administration establishes at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The proposal was announced during the Ohio Defense and Aerospace Forum on Monday, Sept. 21 at Wright State, which would be connected to the Space Academy.
Artist rendering of proposed Plus Ultra Gate at the U.S. Space Academy at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
Proposed location of U.S. Space Academy at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
This rendering shows what the President Donald J. Trump Multi-Planetary Hall at the U.S. Space Academy at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base could look like.
This rendering shows what part of the U.S. Space Academy at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base could look like.
U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno speaks while Wright State University President Sue Edwards (left) and U.S. Rep. Mike Turner (right) listen during a news conference on Monday, Sept. 21 at Wright State University’s Student Union. Moreno announced a proposed U.S. Space Academy that Ohio leaders are hoping the Trump administration establishes at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
Air Force Brig. Gen. Douglas Wickert (center left) speaks while U.S. Rep. Mike Turner (left), Cmdr. Tyson Wetzel (center right) and NSIC Deputy Director Cheryl Richmond (right) listen during a panel in Ohio Defense and Aerospace Forum on Monday, Sept. 21 at Wright State University.
Air Force Brig. Gen. Douglas Wickert speaks during a panel in Ohio Defense and Aerospace Forum on Monday, Sept. 21 at Wright State University.
U.S. Rep. Mike Turner (R-Dayton) speaks at Ohio Defense and Aerospace Forum on Monday, Sept. 21 at Wright State University.
U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno talks about the proposed U.S. Space Academy that Ohio leaders are hoping the Trump administration establishes at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The proposal was announced during the Ohio Defense and Aerospace Forum on Monday, Sept. 21 at Wright State University, which would be connected to the Space Academy.
U.S. Rep. Mike Turner (R-Dayton) talks about the proposed U.S. Space Academy that Ohio leaders are hoping the Trump administration establishes at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The proposal was announced during the Ohio Defense and Aerospace Forum on Monday, Sept. 21 at Wright State University, which would be connected to the Space Academy.
U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno talked about renderings of features of the proposed U.S. Space Academy that Ohio leaders are hoping the Trump administration establishes at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The proposal was announced during the Ohio Defense and Aerospace Forum on Monday, Sept. 21 at Wright State University, which would be connected to the Space Academy.
U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno speaks while U.S. Rep. Mike Turner (left) and Wright State University President Sue Edwards (left) listen while Moreno announces a proposal for U.S. Space Academy that Ohio leaders are hoping the Trump administration establishes at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The proposal was announced during the Ohio Defense and Aerospace Forum on Monday, Sept. 21 at Wright State, which would be connected to the Space Academy.
U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno (right) speaks while U.S. Rep. Mike Turner (left) listens while Moreno announces a proposal for U.S. Space Academy that Ohio leaders are hoping the Trump administration establishes at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The proposal was announced during the Ohio Defense and Aerospace Forum on Monday, Sept. 21 at Wright State, which would be connected to the Space Academy.
Artist rendering of proposed Plus Ultra Gate at the U.S. Space Academy at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
Proposed location of U.S. Space Academy at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
This rendering shows what the President Donald J. Trump Multi-Planetary Hall at the U.S. Space Academy at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base could look like.
This rendering shows what part of the U.S. Space Academy at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base could look like.
U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno speaks while Wright State University President Sue Edwards (left) and U.S. Rep. Mike Turner (right) listen during a news conference on Monday, Sept. 21 at Wright State University’s Student Union. Moreno announced a proposed U.S. Space Academy that Ohio leaders are hoping the Trump administration establishes at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
Air Force Brig. Gen. Douglas Wickert (center left) speaks while U.S. Rep. Mike Turner (left), Cmdr. Tyson Wetzel (center right) and NSIC Deputy Director Cheryl Richmond (right) listen during a panel in Ohio Defense and Aerospace Forum on Monday, Sept. 21 at Wright State University.
Air Force Brig. Gen. Douglas Wickert speaks during a panel in Ohio Defense and Aerospace Forum on Monday, Sept. 21 at Wright State University.
U.S. Rep. Mike Turner (R-Dayton) speaks at Ohio Defense and Aerospace Forum on Monday, Sept. 21 at Wright State University.
U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno talks about the proposed U.S. Space Academy that Ohio leaders are hoping the Trump administration establishes at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The proposal was announced during the Ohio Defense and Aerospace Forum on Monday, Sept. 21 at Wright State University, which would be connected to the Space Academy.
Nicklaus himself has been on the phone with the president advocating for Ohio, the senator said.
“All of this is a team Ohio effort,” Moreno said.
At full capacity, the academy would educate some 5,000 students, he said. But at the outset, perhaps just 200 would attend the institution.
“We already have been flooded in our offices with applications to join Space Academy,” Moreno added, referring to his and Turner’s offices.
Members of congress nominate students to attend the various military academies.
On Monday, DeWine’s office announced that the governor is forming a steering group to advance Ohio’s bid to be the future home of the U.S. Space Academy.
“A Space Academy is essential to our nation’s preeminence in air and space. Ohio is not only the birthplace of aviation: We continue to be on the leading edge of aerospace and defense,” DeWine said in a statement. “Because of their leadership role in air and space and their critical proximity, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Glenn Research Center make Ohio the ideal location for the U.S. Space Academy.”
Among the members on the 10-member panel is Jeff Hoagland, president and CEO of the Dayton Development Coalition.
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