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Sen. Ashley Moody proposes U.S. Space Academy in Florida

By
FOX 13 News
Florida
Published September 8, 2026 6:12 PM EDT
Published September 8, 2026 6:12 PM EDT

The Brief

    • Sen. Ashley Moody introduced legislation to designate Florida's Space Coast as the home of the newly formed U.S. Space Academy.
    • The proposed bill builds on a recent executive order from President Donald Trump establishing the U.S. Space Academy.
    • Florida leaders say the plan will create direct pathways for students entering the Space Force, NASA, and the civilian spaceflight industry.

EXPLORATION PARK, Fla. - Sen. Ashley Moody introduced legislation on Tuesday to officially establish Florida as the home of the new U.S. Space Academy.

Florida Space Legislation

What we know:

The proposed bill would name Florida's Space Coast as the headquarters for the U.S. Space Academy, which was created weeks ago through an executive order from President Donald Trump.

State leaders say bringing the academy to the Space Coast builds directly on the area's established hub for military, government and commercial space operations.

The academy will create a path for students pursuing careers in the space force, in addition to serving NASA and commercial spaceflight companies.

Planning for academy

Dig deeper:

Moody says Florida's Space Coast is equipped to start planning for the U.S. Space Academy as soon as tomorrow. 

She says it's critical that the nation keeps up with the international "space race".

Moody also previously introduced the Cape Canaveral Act, a separate bill aimed at relocating NASA headquarters from Washington, D.C. to Florida's Space Coast.

Space Exploration Future

What they're saying:

"We've increased 500% in the last decade, in terms of our number of launches, so our competitive edge, as I laid out, is there," Moody said. "Florida leads among any other state, hands down. It's not even close. I think there will be pilot programs, initiatives, prior to any formal building, that can begin before that takes place."

Timeline unclear

What we don't know:

Lawmakers haven't confirmed a proposed timeline or exact location for physical facilities, but Moody said pilot programs could begin before formal construction starts, if the bill is passed.

The Source: The information in this story was gathered from a press conference with Sen. Ashley Moody at Exploration Park, covered by FOX 13 reporter Kylie Jones, as well as official legislative announcements regarding the U.S. Space Academy.

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