HUNTSVILLE — The great ping-pong match of national space defense policy has finally ended and the Rocket City is the winner.
At a news conference today, President Donald Trump announced that, after a four-year back-and-forth with Colorado, the U.S. Space Command Headquarters will move to Huntsville and Redstone Arsenal.
“Redstone Arsenal is a thriving Federal Center of Excellence, where the Army, FBI, NASA, and other agencies come together to drive innovation and advance our nation’s interests,” said Lt. Gen. Chris Mohan, Army Materiel Command deputy commanding general and acting commander. “We are proud of the work being done here and are ready to welcome Space Command, which fits perfectly within our four core competencies – space, logistics, research and intelligence operations,”
The relocation is expected to bring hundreds of high-paying jobs and millions in economic growth to the area, further cementing its role as a leader in defense, aerospace, and space exploration.
“I am thrilled to report that the U.S. Space Command headquarters will move to the beautiful locale of a place called Huntsville, Alabama,” the president said at the onset of the press conference. He then said Huntsville will be known as “Rocket City” from this point forward, though Huntsville has been known as the Rocket City for decades.
Trump said SPACECOM will play a key role in building the planned Golden Dome for America missile defense system which will be designed to defend citizens and infrastructure from foreign aerial attack, as well as guarantee second-strike capability.
“This decision is not about what’s best for Huntsville – it’s about being mission-focused,” said Mayor Tommy Battle. “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.”
The U.S. Space Command was reestablished in the FY2019 NDAA as a Department of Defense combatant command that manages military operations to, from, and through space.
U.S. Rep. Dale Strong served as chairman of the Madison County Commission during the SPACECOM headquarters site selection process and played a key role supporting the state’s nomination of Redstone Arsenal and throughout the U.S. Air Force’s Strategic Basing Action process.
“I’ve said all along that basing the Headquarters in Huntsville is not a political decision; it’s a national security one,” Strong (R-Huntsville) said. “North Alabama has long been the linchpin of defending our interests at home and abroad, and we are prepared to now do our part in defending American interests in space.”
“It’s been rewarding to play a role in every step of this process and to ensure that Space Command’s Headquarters rightfully resides in the most capable and best-equipped community – which has been proven time and again to be Redstone Arsenal.”
Throughout a months-long evaluation and selection process, Redstone Arsenal consistently ranked as the top location for the headquarters based on site visits, questionnaires, and the assessment of 21 mission-critical criteria.
North Alabama’s qualified workforce, costs to the Department of Defense, strong infrastructure capacity, community support, and superior school systems were all key reasons for its selection.
On Jan. 13, 2021, the Secretary of the Air Force announced that Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama, was the preferred location for the U.S. Space Command Headquarters.
Immediately following this announcement, members of Congress representing lower-ranked site locations urged for an immediate reversal of the basing decision and formally requested investigations into the Strategic Basing Action by the Department of Defense Inspector General (DoDIG) and the Government Accountability Office (GAO).
By May 2022, both reports had been released and confirmed that the Air Force was reasonable in selecting Redstone Arsenal to host USSPACECOM headquarters.
Despite these findings, in July 2023, President Biden announced that USSPACECOM headquarters would remain at its provisional headquarters at Peterson Space Force Base in Colorado Springs, Colo.
Given the lack of evidence supporting the Biden administration’s decision to allow USSPACECOM Headquarters to remain at the fifth-best site, Strong urged House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers to investigate the seemingly blatant political interference.
The committee’s investigation consisted of multiple transcribed interviews with the Secretary of the Air Force and USSPACECOM Commander, as well as a full committee hearing to examine irregularities in the strategic basing process in September 2023.
Subsequently, the Alabama delegation was successful in championing a provision included in the FY2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to halt funding to support military construction or additional leased facilities for the provisional headquarters until the DoDIG and GAO investigations were complete.
In April 2025, the DoDIG report was publicly released and made clear that the Biden administration’s decision was driven by political preferences and, again, reiterated that Redstone Arsenal had been selected meritoriously as the top location for USSPACECOM.
Redstone Arsenal is a Federal Center of Excellence and one of the nation’s most strategically significant defense campuses. Its selection underscores its importance in supporting complex, mission critical operations.
Key agencies and commands already on post include the Army Materiel Command, the Missile Defense Agency, and NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center. This synergy of expertise and resources makes Redstone a vital asset to U.S. security and technological leadership. Approximately 60 acres of land near the center of the Arsenal have been identified for the new headquarters facility.
Comments from officials
- Madison County Commission Chairman Mac McCutcheon – “This is a win for our region and our country.
- Chip Cherry, CEO Huntsville Madison County Chamber of Commerce – ““We are honored to be selected as the home for Space Command, and we stand ready to support the move to Redstone.”
- Madison Mayor Paul Finley – “Madison is proud to stand alongside Huntsville, Madison County and our regional partners as we welcome this new chapter of growth, opportunity and national service.”
- Alabama State Rep. Rex Reynolds (R-Huntsville) – “As state representative for the Huntsville area, I am pleased with President Trump’s announcement to bring Space Command to its rightful home – Redstone Arsenal. Huntsville has long been a national leader in space and defense, and it has earned the right to house the combatant command. We, as legislators, look forward to welcoming Space Command home and stand ready to provide the necessary resources to ensure the transition is successful.”
- Bethany Shockney, President & CEO, Limestone County Economic Development Association – “Today’s announcement that U.S. Space Command will relocate to Huntsville’s Redstone Arsenal represents a transformative moment for our entire Tennessee Valley region, including Limestone County. This decision validates what we’ve long known – that North Alabama offers unparalleled advantages for aerospace and defense operations. This decision not only strengthens our national security capabilities but also reinforces North Alabama’s position as the premier destination for aerospace innovation and defense excellence. We look forward to supporting this critical mission and the economic growth it will bring to our entire region.”
- Sen. Katie Britt – “As I have long stated, locating the permanent Space Command headquarters at Redstone Arsenal is in the best national security interest of the United States. Alabama’s world-class aerospace and defense workforce, capabilities, and synergies stand ready to fulfill the mission and strengthen our national security long into the future. I’m proud that Alabama’s congressional delegation – working tirelessly together on a bipartisan basis – has won this fight on behalf of our great state and America’s national security interests.”
- Sen. Tommy Tuberville – “President Trump is doing the right thing by moving SPACECOM back to its rightful home in Sweet Home Alabama. This was never supposed to be about politics. After a thorough selection process involving 66 possible locations, Huntsville was chosen fair and square. But unfortunately, the Biden Administration chose politics over national security. Thankfully, President Trump, Secretary Hegseth, and Secretary Meink are restoring merit and integrity to the process and saving taxpayers nearly a half a billion dollars. We couldn’t be more excited to immediately welcome SPACECOM to the Rocket City.”
- Gov. Kay Ivey – “Soon after President Trump directed the Department of Defense in 2018 to begin planning for this new military branch, Space Force, we began making our own preparations in Alabama for the city of Huntsville to compete to be home for Headquarters. As I have said all along, there is no better place to locate Space Command Headquarters than in Huntsville, Alabama. Today, the facts prevailed, and it is official: Space Command Headquarters is coming to Sweet Home Alabama.”
- TVA President and CEO Don Moul – “Energy security is national security, and the need for resilient and reliable energy systems has never been greater. As the U.S. Space Command headquarters locate to Alabama and TVA’s service territory, we’re proud to continue our agency’s historic role in national defense and support the infrastructure that powers defense, drives economic growth, and enables the technologies that make space operations possible. Our strong partnership and ongoing commitment to Redstone Arsenal will help keep our nation strong, competitive, and ready for the growth and opportunities that lie ahead.”
- Alabama Speaker of the Alabama House Nathaniel Ledbetter – “Today is a monumental victory for Alabama, and I am deeply grateful to President Trump for standing with our state. Here in Alabama, our federal, state, and local leaders work hand-in-hand to ensure we are always ready to support our military and its service members. That commitment is exactly why there is no better home for U.S. Space Command than Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville.”
- U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (D-Birmingham), the lone member of the Alabama congressional delegation who was not invited to the press conference – “Huntsville, Alabama is unequivocally the best place for Space Command. The Rocket City and the entire State of Alabama are thrilled to continue playing a central role in advancing the United States’ dominance in the frontier of space. I have been an outspoken proponent for bringing Space Command to its rightful home in Alabama, and I have repeatedly joined my colleagues in the Alabama delegation — under both Democratic and Republican administrations — to make clear that Huntsville is the best location based on the merits,”
- U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee – “Space Command is finally coming home to Alabama. Alabama was chosen in 2021 because it was the absolute best location for the Space Command headquarters. Today, in 2025, it remains the best location for our national security and for the taxpayer. This basing decision has been affirmed and reaffirmed by multiple agencies and multiple officials throughout both the Trump and Biden administrations. Biden was content to have Space Command located in the fourth best location because it served him politically. The differences between him and President Trump has never been clearer.”
- Rep. Barry Moore (R-Enterprise) – “This decision is a win for Alabama, a win for America, and a win for common sense. Redstone Arsenal is where Space Command belongs, not because of politics, but because of proven performance. Alabama has led the way in space, missile defense, and national security for decades. Now, Space Command will be anchored in the Rocket City, where the mission and the people are ready to keep America the best in the world. I am proud to have fought alongside my colleagues in the Alabama delegation to achieve this victory.”
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