Alabama leaders cheered a Trump Administration decision today to announce the selection of Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville as the permanent headquarters for U.S. Space Command.
The move mark a major milestone in the nation’s strategic defense posture and means an estimated 1,400 Space Command jobs will transition to Redstone Arsenal over the next five years.
“As I have said all along, there is no better place to locate Space Command Headquarters than in Huntsville, Alabama,” Governor Kay Ivey said in a statement. “Today, the facts prevailed, and it is official: Space Command Headquarters is coming to Sweet Home Alabama.”
She commended officials in the City of Huntsville and the state’s Congressional delegation for working tirelessly to secure Space Command HQ for Alabama’s “Rocket City.”
“As our history shows, Alabama always stands ready to support the defense of our great nation, and Huntsville continues providing the Rocket City is truly ‘Space Central,’” Governor Ivey added.
The command’s missions are to advance the military’s extensive operations in space and to seek more effective ways to protect U.S. assets such as satellites that are crucial for communications, navigation and surveillance.
“This decision is not about what’s best for Huntsville – it’s about being mission-focused,” Mayor Tommy Battle said in a statement. “The decision to locate U.S. Space Command at Redstone ensures our nation is prepared to meet growing challenges in space.
“Huntsville is ready with our experienced workforce, resilient infrastructure and deep commitment to national defense,” he added.
‘Rocket City’ resources
For Huntsville, the announcement that it has been picked to host Space Command’s Headquarters comes with a strong sense of déjà vu.
On Jan. 13, 2021, the Secretary of the U.S. Air Force announced that Huntsville had been selected as the preferred location for the headquarters of the new U.S. Space Command.
That statement said the Department of the Air Force had conducted both virtual and on-site visits to assess which of six candidate locations would be best suited to host the U.S. Space Command HQ based on factors related to mission, infrastructure capacity, community support and cost.
It added that Huntsville compared favorably across more of these factors than any other community, providing a large, qualified workforce, quality schools, superior infrastructure capacity, and low initial and recurring costs.
The decision was later reversed by President Joe Biden in favor of Colorado.
It’s difficult to argue, however, that Huntsville isn’t a deserving choice as the Headquarters site of the Space Command.
For starters, Huntsville is home to Redstone Arsenal, which has been the center of the U.S. Army’s missile and rocket programs for more than 50 years.
The nation’s first ballistic missile was developed at Redstone, and it today hosts a number of military organizations, including the Army’s Aviation and Missile Command, Space and Missile Defense Command, and the Missile Defense Agency.
Also located at Redstone is NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, which designed the Saturn V rockets that powered the Apollo program moon landings and continues to lead the nation’s space program.
In addition, Huntsville ranks high among top metro areas for STEM occupations and is well-known nationally as one of the top cities for aerospace engineers.
“This is a landmark moment for Alabama, and it reflects the state’s continued leadership in aerospace, innovation and national defense,” said Ellen McNair, Secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce. “With its proven talent pipeline, world-class research assets and a deep bench of industry expertise, Huntsville offers Space Command an ecosystem uniquely equipped to support its mission.
“We’re honored by this decision and ready to support every phase of growth ahead.”
Courtesy of the Alabama Department of Commerce’s Made in Alabama website.
