PHOENIX — Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs announced the creation of the Arizona U.S. Space Academy Steering Committee, which will lead the state's efforts to secure the proposed United States Space Academy.
The United States Space Academy is a proposed American service academy focused on space-related operations. President Donald Trump announced the concept on August 28 as a training academy for NASA.
“Arizona is bringing together the state’s pre-eminent leaders in space science and exploration, representing our world-class universities, industry partners, local communities and the Arizona Space Commission, to build a strong proposal for NASA,” Hobbs said.
The Steering Committee will help guide Arizona’s bid to host the academy and highlight the state's position as a leader in the aerospace and defense industries.
Arizona already has several key assets that could support the academy, including available land for future development, a strong aerospace and defense industry, and extensive experience supporting NASA missions.
The Steering Committee includes:
- Governor Katie Hobbs
- Ambassador Barbara Barrett, former U.S. Secretary of the Air Force, which oversees both the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force
- Laurie Leshin, Arizona State University professor of space futures and former director of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory
- Pete Worden, chairman of the Breakthrough Prize Foundation and executive director of Breakthrough Initiatives; retired U.S. Air Force brigadier general and former director of development and transformation for Air Force Space Command
- Dr. Erika Hamden, University of Arizona director of the Space Institute and associate professor of astrophysics
- Dr. David Trilling, Northern Arizona University chair of the Department of Astronomy and Planetary Science and professor of astronomy and planetary science
- Dr. Sian Proctor, astronaut and the first female commercial spaceship pilot
- Brett Mecum, chair of the Arizona Space Commission
- Sandra Watson, president and CEO of the Arizona Commerce Authority
- Jim Cantrell, CEO and co-founder of Phantom Space
- Mayor Douglas Nicholls of Yuma
- Mayor Clea McCaa of Sierra Vista
- Steve Zylstra, president and CEO of the Arizona Technology Council
