HUNTSVILLE WELCOMES U.S. SPACE COMMAND
Tennessee Valley communities look forward to supporting USSPACECOM HQ at Redstone Arsenal
The Tennessee Valley proudly welcomes U.S. Space Command to its new home at Redstone Arsenal. This decision, grounded in thorough evaluations and proven strategic advantages, is a milestone for our community and the nation’s defense mission.
“We look forward to working with the US Space Command staff and leadership to successfully execute locating the permanent Command Headquarters to Redstone Arsenal, now that a final decision in the selection process has been completed. This decision is supported by two selection activities utilizing accepted metrics and backed by several reviews and studies which confirmed that Redstone will offer the best strategic value for our Nation as the home to US Space Command.” -Chip Cherry, President/CEO, Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce
President Trump announces Space Command HQ moving from Colorado to Alabama
FROM LOCAL LEADERS
What The Announcement Means: Approximately 1,400-1,600 people along with their families will move to north Alabama as Space Command headquarters are relocated here.
Huntsville’s Message: We welcome the men and women who work for Space Command and your families. We look forward to supporting you in the coming months and years.
How Soon Will This Happen? Space Command is expected to move to Redstone Arsenal in phases over the next five years. Approximately 800 people in the Command are military personnel and 600-700 others are civilians.
Watch the local news conference here.
About U.S. Space Command
U.S. Space Command leads our nation’s military operations in space, ensuring the safety of satellites, communication systems, and other vital technologies. By working with partners across the country and around the world, USSPACECOM helps protect our way of life and supports missions that keep our nation secure.
The decision to locate U.S. Space Command’s permanent headquarters at Redstone Arsenal is a major milestone for Huntsville and the Tennessee Valley.
Team redstone
Redstone Arsenal is a Federal Center of Excellence that houses more than 65 federal organizations. These include Army Material Command, Army Aviation and Missile Command, the Army Space and Missile Defense Command, NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, the FBI and many others. Approximately 85 percent of the Missile Defense Agency’s footprint is located on Redstone Arsenal. Over 38,000 jobs are located on the Arsenal’s 38,000 acres.
Space Command is a unified Combatant Command that brings all of the space capabilities of all of the services to bear in the Space theater. It is one of 11 unified Combatant Commands within the Department of Defense.
Space Force is a branch of military service – just like the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force and Coast Guard. It is headquartered at the Pentagon. The Space Force is a part of the Air Force in the same way that the Marines are a part of the Navy.
Timeline of Space Command Basing Decision
December 2018 – President Trump announces the creation of Space Command and a site selection process for the Command HQ is initiated
June 2019 – Redstone is one of six sites considered for SPACECOM HQ
October 2019 – SPACECOM HQ selection process suspended
December of 2019 – President Trump announces the creation of the Space Force
March 2020 – a new site selection process for SPACECOM was initiated – 24 states nominated 36 potential sites.
June 2020 – Redstone was selected as one of six finalist sites (Peterson, Kirtland, San Antonio, Offutt, Patrick AFB were the others)
Fall 2020 – Site visit to Redstone
December 2020 – Community briefing to Air Force site basing office
Jan 13, 2021 – The Secretary of the AF announced that Redstone was the preferred site for the SPACECOM HQ and an NEPA Environmental Assessment was initiated. The timeline to relocate the command was set at six years.
May 11, 2022 – the DOD IG determined that the process that the AF used was sound and that it complied with federal law.
June 2022 – the GAO released their review, which likewise confirmed the selection process that led to Redstone’s designated as the preferred site was sound.
July 2022 – the Air Force released the Environmental Impact Assessment with Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) at Redstone and the other contender sites. There was a 30-day comment period that followed the release of those documents. The final EA and FONSI was released on Sept. 30, 2022.
July 31, 2023 – President Biden announced that the Command will remain in Colorado.
August 23, 2023 – Alabama Congressional Delegation calls for GAO and DOD IG review of Biden decision to reverse recommendation of Secretary of the AF.
September 2, 2025 – President Trump announced that Redstone Arsenal / Huntsville would be the permanent headquarters for the Space Command.
You can find the review of the Air Force’s assessment of Redstone on p. 77 of the report linked HERE.
We would love to share more information with you about our community! Huntsville is known as “The Rocket City” for our role in space exploration and putting man on the moon. We have carried forward a legacy of innovation with an ecosystem that supports a variety of industries from STEM to arts, music, and entertainment. Please visit ASmartPlace.com to learn more about our area.
Did you know U.S. News & World Report has named Huntsville one of the Best Places to Live in the country? The Huntsville/Madison County Chamber tracks a number of media accolades about our area. Visit this page for more information.
