Astronomy Prints 🌌: Alabama? Colorado? Space Command HQ stalemate

04/22/2025

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Space & defense brief 🛰️

IG report refuels battle over Space Command's future

The fight over the permanent home of U.S. Space Command (SPACECOM) remains unresolved and highly contentious, with a recent Pentagon inspector general report adding fresh fuel to a long-simmering dispute, one that blends military strategy with political and economic stakes.

SPACECOM has been headquartered at Peterson Space Force Base in Colorado Springs since its reestablishment in 2019. In early 2021, the Trump administration ordered its relocation to Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama. However, the Biden administration reversed this decision in 2023, opting to keep the headquarters in Colorado Springs. With Trump now in office, Alabama lawmakers are pushing for the relocation to proceed.

The Department of Defense inspector general's report, dated April 11, reveals disagreements between the Air Force and SPACECOM leadership regarding the proposed move. While the Air Force favored Huntsville for projected cost savings — estimated at $426 million due to lower personnel and construction expenses — SPACECOM leaders expressed concerns that relocating could impair mission readiness. They warned that up to 88% of the civilian workforce might not relocate, risking operational capability during a critical period for national security.
The report also noted that constructing temporary facilities and establishing secure networks at Redstone Arsenal would take three to four years, potentially disrupting operations. However, it did not provide new insights into Biden's decision to keep SPACECOM in Colorado Springs, as key officials declined interviews, citing executive privilege.

Politicians react to latest developments

Alabama lawmakers, led by Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Ala.), chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, anticipate the Trump administration will reverse Biden's decision and proceed with the relocation.

Colorado officials are arguing strongly against the move. Colorado Springs Mayor Yemi Mobolade penned an open letter over the weekend, arguing that moving SPACECOM would come at an enormous cost — not just in dollars, but in time, momentum, and operational readiness.

Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.) noted that SPACECOM achieved full operational capability in Colorado Springs in December 2023. He warned that relocating now would waste taxpayer money and disrupt a fully functional command during a time of heightened international tensions.

The headquarters supports approximately 1,400 jobs, making the decision economically significant for Colorado and Alabama.

Space Force unveils warfighting blueprint

The U.S. Space Force dropped a new document last week that lays out how it plans to protect American space assets — and, when needed, take the fight to adversaries in orbit. Titled "Space Warfighting: A Framework for Planners," the document signals a cultural and strategic shift toward preparing for offensive operations in space.

New focus on offense: The military's reliance on satellites — for missile defense, communications, GPS and surveillance — means losing the high ground could cripple U.S. forces across the board. With China and Russia flexing more advanced space capabilities, space is no longer a neutral zone; it's a warfighting domain.

"This document is very specific to space superiority," Lt. Gen. Shawn Bratton, deputy chief of space operations, told reporters. "We're going to fight in space to make sure our aircraft carrier doesn't get struck and 5,000 sailors won't go to the bottom of the ocean."
The framework embraces the language of lethality and preemption. While it doesn't detail specific weapons, it outlines possible offensive moves: orbital strikes to take out enemy satellites, cyber attacks to jam space communications, and terrestrial strikes on ground control centers.
The Space Force has long emphasized defense and deterrence. Now, it's putting offensive capabilities on the table — and making clear that those actions, if taken, will be calculated and responsible, minimizing debris and collateral damage in orbit.

The bigger picture: Bratton called the release part of the "normalization" of the Space Force as a full-fledged warfighting branch. It also aligns with the Pentagon's broader push for a "warfighting ethos" — a focus on readiness for combat.

Space companies pursuing defense business amid market volatility

Amid economic and geopolitical challenges, the space industry should benefit from continued strong defense spending, according to Space Investment Quarterly: Q1 2025, released last week by the investment firm Space Capital.

The report outlines a volatile start to the year for space capital markets, citing uncertainty around tariffs, geopolitical tensions and instability within the U.S. government.

Heightened concerns about missile threats and China's growing space capabilities are influencing U.S. defense priorities. Space Capital points to these dynamics as drivers of new investment.
Following the 2024 election, space stocks initially rose amid investor optimism over the Trump administration's stated commitment to space and defense initiatives. However, most of those gains have since been lost. The report notes that major financial institutions now warn of an increased risk of recession, citing the administration's tariff and immigration policies.
A recession could slow government contracting and delay payments, putting particular pressure on startups. While larger companies may be able to manage through the downturn, smaller firms — already impacted by deregulation and crypto-related volatility — could face significant challenges.

Despite budget constraints, the Department of Defense continues to emphasize the importance of the space domain in national security, Space Capital points out. The administration's proposed "Golden Dome" missile defense system could result in additional funding for programs focused on space domain awareness, artificial intelligence, autonomous systems and satellite resilience.

In other news 🚀

Derek Tournear last week was reinstated as director of the Space Development Agency (SDA) after a three-month administrative leave.

Tournear had been removed from his position on Jan. 16 during an investigation into alleged procedural irregularities involving two prototype agreements worth approximately $424 million for the Tranche 2 Transport Layer – Gamma variant satellites, a key component of the military's new space architecture.

The Department of the Air Force has not disclosed specific reasons for Tournear's reinstatement.

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is seeking proposals for a small lunar orbiter that could be used to test operations in very low orbits while prospecting for water ice.

DARPA issued a program solicitation April 14 for a mission concept called Lunar Assay via Small Satellite Orbiter (LASSO). The agency is seeking proposals for design studies that could lead to construction of a spacecraft.

Boeing says it has built the ground-based twin for a mission aiming to demonstrate quantum networking in space, marking a key milestone ahead of launching a small satellite called Q4S next year.

In partnership with HRL Laboratories, a California-based research center Boeing partially owns, the company also said it has validated software for the payload subassembly, which would serve as the ground-based twin to its space-bound counterpart.