Banks calls for Grissom to be new U.S. Space Academy home

Indiana Sen. Jim Banks wants a site in north central Indiana to become the new home of the U.S. Space Academy.

In a letter sent Thursday to Jared Isaacman, chairman of the Presidential Commission on the United States Space Academy, Banks urged the commission to select Grissom Air Reserve Base and the surrounding Grissom Aeroplex as the site for the academy.

Banks cited Grissom’s connection to Lt. Col. Virgil “Gus” Grissom, an Indiana native and the second American to fly in space. He also highlighted the site’s “substantial capacity for future classrooms, housing, and training infrastructure, along with access to a 12,501-foot runway, one of the longest in the Midwest.”

President Donald Trump issued an order on August 28 establishing the U.S. Space Academy and the commission, led by Isaacman, which will develop the framework for the academy and select a permanent physical location.

The order said the country must “prepare the next generation of astronauts, scientists, engineers, operators, entrepreneurs, civil servants, and warfighters and ensure that they are capable of advancing American interests in space.”

Grissom Air Reserve Base is home to the 434th Air Refueling Wing, which is equipped with the KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft and special taskings to generate aircraft and crews in support of the Air Mobility Command. The Grissom Aeroplex is a business park that encompasses more than 850 acres.

In his letter, Banks said Indiana offers the academic and industrial ecosystem necessary to support the Academy’s long-term mission.

“The state offers a low cost of living, leading STEM and research universities, and a growing aerospace, defense, and advanced-manufacturing workforce,” Banks said. “Indiana companies already contribute directly to America’s space missions, including 21 suppliers supporting NASA’s Artemis program. Locating the Space Academy at Grissom would give cadets access to this broader network and create opportunities to connect classroom education with hands-on experience across the civil, commercial, and national security sectors.”

The commission is required to submit its report on establishing the academy to the president within 120 days of the order.