Republican Representatives Michael Waltz and Bill Posey have introduced a request to have the U.S. Space Command headquartered in Florida.
Both are members of the House Armed Services Committee, and they joined a group of bipartisan Florida Representatives to urge the Acting Secretary of Defense to locate the headquarters of a future U.S. Space Command in the sunshine state.
Directing a letter to the SOD, the members explained that “Florida is the epicenter for America’s space program. Our Space Coast launched the first American suborbital flight and the first American to orbit Earth. From Cape Canaveral, rockets propelled the astronauts that left their footprints on the face of the moon and ferried the space shuttle astronauts into the stratosphere for 30 years.”
The members also championed that “Florida universities lead the world in training premier aviation and aerospace talent, including Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.”
In addition, the members also expressed that “Florida has a strong defense and aerospace industry base and also has a long history of supporting America’s military community. Florida offers an unrivaled quality of life for personnel and their families. Our state is committed to assisting our brave servicemembers who go into harm’s way overseas, and now into the frontiers of space.”
During President Trump’s term, he has already highlighted certain space-related objectives he would like to achieve while in office. One specific objective is the creation of a space force, which is reported to be created as a part of the Air Force as opposed to being a separate military branch.
And, in the conclusion to the letter, the reps reiterated that the “U.S. Space Command will be essential to American national security through the acceleration of space capabilities to defend our national interests and deter our adversaries. We hope these important factors are considered when your department makes recommendations as to where to locate the USSPACECOM headquarters.”
