What This Story Is About
Tennessee has entered a bid to be the home of the brand-new United States Space Academy.
Why It Matters
President Donald Trump announced plans for the facility in August, describing it as a facility to train the next generation of astronauts and engineers and “strengthen the Nation’s space workforce by expanding opportunities to educate and develop the next generation of leaders across the space domain.”
What Happens Next
NASA is leading the process of evaluating potential locations, but has not said when they plan to make the final selection.
COFFEE COUNTY, Tenn. (WSMV) – Tennessee has entered a bid to be the home of the brand new United States Space Academy.
President Donald Trump announced plans for the facility in August, describing it as a facility to train the next generation of astronauts and engineers and “strengthen the Nation’s space workforce by expanding opportunities to educate and develop the next generation of leaders across the space domain.”
Wednesday, Governor Bill Lee publicly launched Tennessee’s bid for the facility, saying the state identified the Coffee County Joint Industrial Park just outside Tullahoma as the ideal location because of its proximity to Arnold Air Force Base and Huntsville, Alabama, which is home to one of NASA’s largest field centers.
“It’s also got plenty of room to expand, and it falls within the aerospace corridor that currently exists in our state,” Lee said. “That corridor is uniquely positioned, and our state is uniquely positioned. We are innovatively leading in quantum and nuclear, and it makes a lot of sense for NASA to consider a location like Coffee County for the Space Center.”
NASA is leading the process of evaluating potential locations, but has not said when they plan to make the final selection.
Other states, including West Virginia, Colorado, and Louisiana, have also submitted bids for the facility.
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