By SPEAKIN’ OUT NEWS
A long-awaited decision on the permanent headquarters of U.S. Space Command could finally be announced this month, according to U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Ala., who said contractors are “ready to turn dirt” once the move to Huntsville is approved.
Rogers, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, made the comments during a recent interview on Auburn University’s Cyber Focus podcast. He said he expects the Air Force to formally confirm Redstone Arsenal as the headquarters for Space Command following the confirmation of a new Air Force secretary.
“I expect sometime during the month of April that Space Command will officially be assigned to build its headquarters in Huntsville,” Rogers said.
President Donald Trump has nominated Troy Meink, former director of the National Reconnaissance Office, to lead the Air Force. His confirmation could unlock the long-delayed headquarters decision.
Redstone Arsenal was named the “preferred location” for U.S. Space Command in 2021, but the Biden administration reversed that decision in 2023, opting to keep the command at Peterson Space Force Base in Colorado Springs. The move drew immediate backlash from Alabama’s congressional delegation and triggered two federal reviews of the process.
A newly released 54-page report from the Department of Defense Inspector General highlights concerns among Space Command leadership that up to 1,000 civilian staffers might refuse to relocate from Colorado to Alabama. The report reveals that readiness concerns and the time needed to build comparable infrastructure at Redstone played a key role in the delay. However, it also found that moving the command to Huntsville could save taxpayers $426 million over time due to lower costs.
Rogers and other top Alabama Republicans have pointed to the report as proof that the Biden administration politicized the decision.
“The report reveals an astounding lack of transparency and accountability by the Biden Administration,” Rogers said. “Political employees at the White House cut out the Air Force and senior defense leaders to select Colorado over Alabama.”
Rep. Dale Strong, R-Huntsville, echoed that frustration, saying, “It is past time to go vertical at Redstone Arsenal.” Rep. Robert Aderholt, R-Haleyville, added, “Huntsville earned its ranking fair and square, based on strategic value, existing infrastructure, and quality of life in North Alabama.”
Alabama’s Democratic lawmakers have also voiced their disapproval of the reversal.
“This Administration’s decision to keep Space Command in Colorado bows to the whims of politics over merit,” said U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell, D-Birmingham. “Huntsville’s merits won this selection process fair and square. In three separate reports, Huntsville reigned victorious, whereas Colorado did not come in second or even third. This reversal is as shameful as it is disappointing. I expected more from the Biden Administration.”
She added, “A decision of this magnitude should not be about red states versus blue states, but rather what is best for our national security.”
Rep. Shomari Figures, D-Mobile, also stressed Alabama’s qualifications: “I’m a firm believer that the State of Alabama has shown the capacity to handle our nation’s space defense. Two separate studies by the Department of Defense determined that the best location for the Space Command is in Alabama.”
On Tuesday, Gov. Kay Ivey signed a joint resolution urging President Trump, the Secretary of Defense, and the incoming Air Force Secretary to finalize the headquarters at Redstone Arsenal.
“Alabama Republicans and Democrats—along with the facts—agree the U.S. Space Command headquarters belongs in Huntsville,” Ivey said.
If approved, the relocation would bring at least 1,600 new jobs to North Alabama and solidify Huntsville’s reputation as a leader in space and missile defense. Rogers noted that Trump’s proposed “Golden Dome” missile defense system could further elevate the city’s role in national security.
“They are the leader in missile defense, and they are growing in the space mission,” Rogers said. “This would be exactly in the wheelhouse of Huntsville.”
Space Command is responsible for protecting U.S. space assets and delivering space capabilities to joint military operations and allied forces.