NASA has published a "Request for Information" inviting US states to bid to host the proposed United States Space Academy, and the agency's timeline shows it wants to move fast: groundbreaking on a permanent campus by next year, temporary classes starting in 2028, and a full move to the permanent site by 2031. The academy is intended to train a new generation of leaders across space science, engineering, security and defence, positioning the initiative as a response to the growing economic and strategic importance of space, including the rise of commercial spaceflight firms. Key questions remain, however, over how a civilian NASA institution will relate to military-style goals such as producing "warfighters," and whether graduates will chiefly join NASA or the US Space Force.

States have until 26 October to submit proposals offering land, infrastructure and funding, with Texas, Florida and Alabama seen as strong contenders. NASA wants a site of at least 300 acres, ideally near existing NASA facilities or universities, to support 1,200 undergraduates initially, rising to as many as 4,000. Proposals will first be assessed by NASA, then reviewed by a presidential commission chaired by NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman and including Susie Wiles, Marco Rubio and Pete Hegseth, with President Trump making the final call, likely favouring Republican-leaning states. Tuition is not addressed in the document, though students are expected to owe several years of government service in exchange for free education.