Trump’s Proposed U.S. Space Academy Enters 120-Day Design Phase
President Donald Trump signed an executive order on August 28, 2026, beginning a 120-day design process for a proposed federal United States Space Academy.
The order creates a Presidential Commission on the United States Space Academy and directs it to recommend how the institution could be governed, organized and implemented. It does not create an operating campus, admissions process or student program.
NASA will lead the design commission
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman will chair the commission. NASA’s deputy administrator will serve as executive director, while the assistant to the president for science and technology and the assistant to the president for economic policy will serve as vice chairs.
The commission also includes the secretary of war, the White House chief of staff, the director of the Office of Management and Budget, the national security adviser and the secretary of the Air Force, or their designees. The chair may invite additional federal employees to participate.
The order describes the proposed academy as a NASA-led federal institution combining technical education with leadership development, discipline and a commitment to public service. The White House says it is intended to prepare graduates for military, civilian federal and commercial space careers.
What the commission must decide
Within 120 days of the August 28 order, the commission must submit recommendations to the president. The deadline is for a report, not for opening the academy.
The report must address the academy’s potential governance structure, legal authorities, accreditation and relationships with federal agencies. It also must outline possible academic and leadership programs, including degree programs, experiential training and development opportunities.
Other required recommendations include whether graduates would have military or civilian service obligations, what applicants would need to qualify, and how a permanent physical location would be selected.
The commission also must examine administrative steps that could be taken under existing legal authority, including pilot programs and partnerships. Its work must cover coordination with existing federal education programs, legislative requirements and the sequence of administrative and legislative actions needed for implementation.
What the order does not decide
The executive order does not establish a permanent site, set an opening date, create an enrollment target or determine who could apply. It also does not set a budget or establish an accreditation status.
Implementation would require presidential approval of the commission’s recommendations and any necessary legislative action. The order says implementation must comply with existing law and remain subject to available appropriations.
That means students, educators, military planners, federal agencies, contractors and communities interested in hosting the academy should not expect immediate changes to eligibility, funding or federal education programs.
Houston is the signing site, not a confirmed campus
Trump signed the order at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. NASA confirmed the commission’s role and the 120-day reporting requirement. Associated Press reporting said Trump announced the academy at the Houston ceremony and that its location had not yet been determined.
The White House has framed the proposal as part of a broader effort to strengthen the American space workforce and support national security, scientific research, technological development and commercial space activity. Those are administration goals; the legal effect of the order at this stage is to begin the commission’s design and recommendation work.
What happens next
The next major milestone is the commission’s report, due within 120 days of August 28, 2026. That report should provide the first detailed answers about governance, curriculum, service obligations, applicant prerequisites, partnerships and location.
After that, the president would review the recommendations. Depending on what the commission proposes, Congress could also need to authorize or fund parts of the academy before NASA and other agencies could move toward implementation.
Sources
- White House executive order: “Establishing the United States Space Academy”
- NASA: “President Trump Signs Executive Order to Create US Space Academy”
- Associated Press: “Artemis II astronauts receive nation’s highest space honor”
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