Space

Gov. Patrick Morrisey has launched West Virginia's bid to host the proposed United States Space Academy, with nearly every higher education institution in the state joining the effort. Marshall University and West Virginia University's joint grant resource centers are coordinating the submission ahead of an Oct. 26 deadline, with participating schools potentially offering curriculum and support while a permanent campus is built and accredited.

The academy stems from Executive Order 14423, signed by President Trump on Aug. 28, which created a commission to plan the institution; NASA has since asked states and communities to propose locations. Federal plans envision an inaugural class of 300 students in 2028, growing to 1,200 by 2031 and eventually up to 4,000. A permanent campus would require at least 300 acres, with construction starting no later than 2027. Morrisey acknowledged competition from states with established space industries, including Florida and Texas, but said West Virginia has a strong case, citing recent job and investment growth in the state.

Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs has created a Steering Committee to lead the state's bid to host the proposed United States Space Academy, a training institution for NASA first floated by President Donald Trump on August 28. The committee brings together leaders from Arizona's universities, aerospace industry, local governments, and the Arizona Space Commission to build a competitive proposal.

Members include former Air Force Secretary Barbara Barrett, ASU's Laurie Leshin, University of Arizona's Erika Hamden, Northern Arizona University's David Trilling, astronaut Sian Proctor, Phantom Space CEO Jim Cantrell, and officials from the Arizona Commerce Authority and the cities of Yuma and Sierra Vista. Hobbs cited the state's available land, established aerospace and defense sector, and history supporting NASA missions as key advantages. The push places Arizona among states competing to land a high-profile federal institution, with implications for regional investment, jobs, and the broader race among states to shape NASA's future workforce pipeline.

Ohio is campaigning to host the proposed U.S. Space Academy at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, even as federal officials continue deciding basic details about how the school would operate. President Trump's August 28 executive order created a presidential commission to design a NASA-led federal academy combining technical education, leadership training, and public service, preparing graduates for military, civilian, and space-sector careers. Unresolved questions include governance, degree offerings, admission criteria, service obligations, and what legislation would be needed to establish it.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has formed a steering group and is touting Wright-Patterson and NASA Glenn Research Center as assets ahead of NASA's October 26 deadline for states to submit one site proposal each. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman chaired the commission's first meeting in September, with a report to Trump due December 26. NASA envisions a 2027 groundbreaking, initial students by 2028, and a permanent campus by 2031. Separately, Florida lawmakers have introduced competing bills that would designate Florida as the academy's location, though neither has advanced in Congress.

Ohio's governor race intensified this week as Republican nominee Vivek Ramaswamy and Democratic rival Amy Acton both proposed suspending the state's gas tax amid a spike in fuel prices, with statewide averages topping $4.52 a gallon and diesel hitting a record $6.77. Ramaswamy, joined by GOP legislative leaders Rob McColley and Matt Huffman, unveiled a plan for a 90-day tax suspension that lawmakers could act on before Election Day, funded initially through ODOT reserves and the state's rainy-day fund. Acton called for an "emergency gas tax holiday" but offered fewer details on duration or funding. It remains unclear whether the GOP-controlled legislature will reconvene early or whether Gov. Mike DeWine, who has raised the gas tax before, would sign such a measure.

Separately, prediction markets continue to show Acton leading Ramaswamy by a wider margin than public polling suggests. Ohio lawmakers are also pursuing a bid to bring the U.S. Space Academy to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, with a decision due to NASA by October 26 and final approval resting with President Trump.