Photographer: Samuel Corum/The New York Times/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Governor Greg Abbott announced the creation of a specialized leadership team on Tuesday tasked with bringing the United States Space Academy permanently to Texas.
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Abbott launches bid for U.S. Space Academy in Texas
What we know:
State Representative Greg Bonnen, M.D., of Friendswood and chair of the House Appropriations Committee, will lead the effort. The team will collaborate directly with the Texas Space Commission to formulate and present a comprehensive statewide proposal to the federal government.
The push comes on the heels of an executive order signed last month by President Donald J. Trump at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, which created a Presidential Commission to select a permanent location for the academy.
What they’re saying:
“Texas is the home of America’s human spaceflight program,” Governor Abbott said. “No state can match what Texas brings to this mission. NASA’s Johnson Space Center, world-class universities, a premier commercial space industry, major military installations, and an unmatched aerospace workforce give Texas every asset the United States Space Academy requires.”
State legislative and aerospace leaders echoed the sentiment. Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick noted that the state’s rapidly growing private-sector space industry and research institutions provide the ideal platform for cadets and faculty. Speaker Dustin Burrows pointed to Texas’ 15 military installations and top research universities as vital components of the bid.
Texas officials highlight the state’s existing foundation, which includes NASA’s Johnson Space Center—designated as the agency’s Human Spaceflight Center of Excellence and home to the astronaut corps—alongside robust commercial and military infrastructure.
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High-profile leadership team appointed
Joining Chairman Bonnen on the leadership proposal team are:
- Dr. Nancy Currie-Gregg, Director of the Texas A&M Space Institute, retired Army Colonel, and former NASA astronaut.
- Dr. Heather Wilson, President of The University of Texas at El Paso and former Secretary of the United States Air Force.
- Evan Loomis, member of the Texas Space Commission Board of Directors.
- Dr. Robert Ambrose, Associate Director of the Texas A&M Space Institute.
- Jack Fischer, Senior Vice President at Intuitive Machines, retired Air Force Colonel, and former NASA astronaut.
- Dr. Lori A. Magruder, Director of the University of Texas at Austin Center for Space Research.