Trump signs executive order to create a U.S. Space Academy

President Trump signed an executive order on Friday to begin the process of creating a U.S. Space Academy to serve the U.S. Space Force, NASA, and the civilian spaceflight industry. Mr. Trump announced the initiative at the NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston during an event where he awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honor to the four-person crew of the Artemis II mission. Comparing the proposed academy to existing military institutions like West Point and Annapolis, the president stated that the facility would attract and train the nation's best. While a location has not yet been selected, Mr. Trump noted that Senator Ted Cruz is lobbying for Texas to host the academy. During the ceremony, the Congressional Space Medal of Honor was presented to commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen. Following the awards, the president visited NASA's mission control center to speak with astronauts currently aboard the International Space Station, promising them a visit to the Oval Office upon their return to Earth next month.