The U.S. Space Command headquarters could be staying in Colorado.
Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs was named one of six finalists to house the military’s newest branch, U.S. Sens. Michael Bennet and Cory Gardner announced in separate news releases.
“With our infrastructure, innovation, work force, and commitment to the space mission, there is no better permanent home for U.S. Space Command than Colorado,” said Bennet, a Denver Democrat.
“Colorado’s leadership in space is unmatched — with our existing military space infrastructure, Colorado is the perfect place for the permanent home to U.S. Space Command,” Gardner, a Yuma Republican soon to be leaving office, said in his release.
Peterson Air Force Base is currently the provisional location for U.S. Space Command headquarters, and since 1982 has been the home for the Air Force Space Command. Colorado’s congressional delegation and state leaders have lobbied the Trump administration heavily to keep the headquarters in state.
“U.S. Space Command should stay here where it has already found a home among our strong military community, thriving aerospace industry, and world-class academic and research institutions,” Gov. Jared Polis said in a statement.
In December, Trump created the Space Force as part of the $738 billion defense spending bill — the first military branch added to U.S. Armed Services since the Air Force was created in 1947.
The Space Force will fall under the Air Force’s purview, but, similar to the Marine Corps, it will have its own seat on the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Colorado Springs will contend with five other finalists for the command’s permanent headquarters: Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque, New Mexico; Patrick Air Force Base in Brevard County, Florida; Offutt Air Force Base in Bellevue, Nebraska; Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama; and Joint Base San Antonio in San Antonio, Texas.
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