Trump's Choice to Transfer Space Command Entails Expensive and Unproductive Investment
In a significant turn of events, President Joe Biden has successfully reversed the decision made by his predecessor, President Donald Trump, to relocate the Space Command headquarters from Colorado to Alabama. The U-turn came in August 2023, following a review by the Biden administration.
The Space Command, a combatant command of the U.S. Department of Defense, is responsible for operations in, from, and to space. Initially, during President Trump's first term, the Space Command was planned to be located in Huntsville, Alabama, known as Rocket City, due to its major defense contractors and aerospace companies like Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Northrop Grumman, and Raytheon.
However, the decision to relocate the Space Command headquarters was met with opposition from Colorado lawmakers. They argued that the state has a booming private space industry, with the highest concentration of private aerospace employment in the U.S., according to the Space Workforce Coalition. Colorado's congressional delegation stated their intention to take action to stop the move, citing concerns over national security readiness in space, uprooting military families, and wasting millions in taxpayer dollars.
The Space Command has been housed at the Peterson Space Force Base in Colorado Springs as its interim headquarters. The long-term presence in Colorado Springs has created a large number of civilian businesses and workers, and many of them may leave the industry if the headquarters is relocated.
President Trump had announced the relocation of the Space Command headquarters to Alabama on Tuesday, but denied that it was influenced by the state voting in favor of him by about 47 points. Alabama Governor Kay Ivey stated that there is no better place for the Space Command headquarters than Huntsville, Alabama.
The back-and-forth between Colorado and Alabama has delayed the Space Command's operations in Earth orbit. The decision to relocate the Space Command headquarters is seen as largely political, rewarding a red state for voting in favor of the president.
In December 2022, the Biden administration directed the U.S. Air Force to conduct a review of the decision to relocate the Space Command headquarters from Colorado to Alabama. This review led to the reversal of the decision in August 2023. The Space Command, established in 1985 and reestablished by President Trump in 2019, will continue its operations at the Peterson Space Force Base in Colorado Springs for the time being.
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