U.S. Space Command is looking for a headquarters. Four Kansas cities want to land it
Four Kansas cities are competing for a chance to become home to the new U.S. Space Command headquarters.
Currently based in Colorado Springs, the command is responsible for military operations in outer space.
Kansas City, Kansas, as well as Wichita, Derby and Leavenworth have all submitted proposals for sites in their communities. St. Louis is also in the running.
Other contenders include San Antonio, Texas; Huntsville, Alabama; Dayton, Ohio; St. Clair County, Illinois and nine sites in Florida. Twenty-six states in total have submitted bids, according to the U.S. Air Force.
In a Friday announcement, Gov. Laura Kelly said she has directed her cabinet to use “all resources necessary” to support the cities in their efforts.
“Our strong teams of state and local economic development professionals have the tools available for the attraction, growth, and retention of the U.S. Space Command headquarters,” Kelly said. “Kansas is the perfect place for this facility, and we are prepared to do the work to get it here.”
Secretary of Commerce David Toland said there’s “no question” that Kansas is the optimal location for Space Command to set up shop.
“Our central location, talented and educated workforce, existing military infrastructure, the advanced network of higher education institutions across our state — the list of advantages is unmatched,” Toland said in the release.
At a panel discussion on space defense and deterrence in Wichita last July, Assistant Air Force Secretary Will Roper stressed the urgency of establishing a “dominant” U.S. presence in space. Defending the country’s satellites from a myriad of attacks will be a top priority in coming years, he said.
“If an evil genius can think it up, we’re probably going to face it on that space-based battlefield,” Roper said, emphasizing that foreign adversaries see interfering with the U.S.’s satellites as a way to undermine the “huge advantage” America has in the world.
In 2018, President Donald Trump announced his intention to establish a Space Force as the sixth branch of the U.S. military. Congress has voted to house the division for now inside the Air Force.
The Space Command was originally established in 1985 but was inactivated in 2002. It was revived last August and will remain at its provisional headquarters in Colorado until more permanent arrangements are made.
The Air Force plans to announce the destination for the new headquarters in January 2021. Construction of new facilities could take up to six years.
This story was originally published September 4, 2020 at 1:22 PM.