State will pursue being home to US Space Academy

Gov. Bill Lee announced Wednesday that the state will pursue becoming home to the United States Space Academy. NASA is leading the process to evaluate potential locations for the school. 'Someone has to determine what the future looks like, and I've long believed that should be Tennessee,' said Lee in a release. 'From leading the nation in clean, reliable nuclear energy to developing the workforce needed to win the future, the Volunteer State is already leading the next era of American innovation. I'm grateful to President Trump for his leadership to establish the United States Space Academy and to NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman and the Presidential Commission for their work to bring this vision to life. We look forward to building on our momentum to create new job opportunities for Tennesseans and strengthen America's leadership in space for generations to come.' Tennessee's proposal would anchor the U.S. Space Academy in the Tennessee Valley Aerospace Corridor, positioning the Coffee County Joint Industrial Park as the ideal location. The site offers existing infrastructure with room to grow and immediate access to Arnold Air Force Base and is in close proximity to Huntsville, Alabama, an aerospace technology hub.The state is touting its educational resources to support the academy including Arnold Air Force Base, the University of Tennessee Space Institute and the University of Tennessee System's longstanding leadership in nuclear science and engineering, MTSU's leadership in aerospace, Tennessee Tech's technical excellence, and Vanderbilt University's leadership in space and quantum research. Tennessee's state and federal leaders are working together to secure this historic investment. 'Tennessee has the workforce, infrastructure, and determination needed to train the next generation of American space leaders and strengthen our nation's future in space,' said Sen. Bill Hagerty. 'I am pleased to stand with Governor Lee as we pursue bringing the United States Space Academy to the Volunteer State.'