President Joseph Biden has designated Colorado Springs as the U.S. Space Command Headquarters' permanent site. The decision comes after thorough analysis and with the support from top defense officials, according to a July 31 news release.
"Locating Headquarters U.S. Space Command in Colorado Springs ultimately ensures peak readiness in the space domain for our nation during a critical period," Pentagon Press Secretary Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder said in the release. "It will also enable the command to most effectively plan, execute and integrate military spacepower into multi-domain global operations in order to deter aggression and defend national interests."
The announcement marks a major milestone for the U.S. military's space operations. Biden's decision was met with strong backing from key stakeholders involved in the process, the release said.
"From the start, DoD and the Department of the Air Force have worked diligently to ensure the basing decision resulted from an objective and deliberate process informed by data and analysis," Ryder added, according to the release.
Ryder said in the release that the DoD and the Department of the Air Force (Air Force) "worked diligently" to make sure the decision on the location of the headquarters was based on "an objective deliberate process informed by data and analysis, in compliance with federal law and DoD policy."
DoD Sec. Lloyd Austin III, AF Sec. Frank Kendall, and U.S. Space Command commander Gen. James Dickinson support the President’s decision, the release reported.
The location of the U.S. Space Command Headquarters in Colorado Springs is expected to enhance the nation's readiness in the space domain during a critical period. It will provide the command with an optimal setting to plan, execute and integrate military space power into multi-domain global operations, thereby bolstering the nation's capability to deter aggression and protect its national interests, the release reported.
The decision to establish Colorado Springs as the permanent location for the U.S. Space Command is a significant step in the continuing development of the nation's space capabilities. It reinforces the U.S.'s commitment to maintaining its leadership in space and ensures the military is adequately equipped to confront evolving threats in this domain, according to the release.
The Colorado Sun reported the decision is a victory for Democrats and Republicans in Colorado, who have been urging the Biden administration for more than two and a half years to keep the headquarters in Colorado Springs.
The previous administration, in its last days in power attempted to relocate the headquarters to Alabama, a decision decried as politically motivated, according to the Sun's report.
