Ohio Forms Group to Pursue U.S. Space Academy
Ohio explains its advantages in the competition to host the new federal academy
WASHINGTON Sept. 23, 2026 – Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, R, has formed a steering group to coordinate the state’s bid to host the proposed U.S. Space Academy, with Ohio pitching Wright-Patterson Air Force Base as the potential site.
The move comes after NASA issued a request for information seeking proposals from states interested in hosting and sponsoring the academy. The proposed academy is part of a broader federal effort to develop a pipeline of astronauts, scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs and military personnel for the U.S. space sector.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order Aug. 28, 2026 directing the creation of a commission to recommend how the academy should be established.
The agency is considering factors including infrastructure, site readiness, partnerships, community support and the surrounding aerospace ecosystem.
DeWine’s group will make the case for Ohio by pointing to Wright-Patterson, NASA’s Glenn Research Center, and the state’s existing aerospace and defense workforce.
“A Space Academy is essential to our Nation’s preeminence in air and space — and Ohio is not only the birthplace of aviation – we continue to be on the leading edge of aerospace and defense,” DeWine said.
The governor also cited the proximity of Wright-Patterson and NASA Glenn, along with Ohio’s educational and workforce assets, as reasons for locating the academy in the state.
Ohio officials and lawmakers are pitching the Dayton region as an existing hub for aerospace and national security work. The state’s effort includes leaders from the Ohio Department of Development, Ohio Department of Higher Education, JobsOhio, the Dayton Development Coalition and Ohio State University, as well as former NASA and military officials.
Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, said the project could represent a roughly $1 billion federal investment and estimated that Ohio would need to contribute $300 million toward construction if the state is selected.
The proposed academy would put additional emphasis on the infrastructure and educational ecosystem surrounding its eventual site. NASA said the location will be foundational to the academy’s success as it develops what the agency described as a pipeline of future space leaders.
Ohio is among several states seeking the academy. Each state is limited to one submission through its governor or designee, with the responses to inform the commission’s recommendation on where the institution should be located. Responses are due Oct. 26.
NASA’s timeline calls for groundbreaking by 2027, temporary facilities capable of hosting the first 300 students in 2028 and a permanent campus operating by 2031.
