Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth officially designated Redstone Arsenal as the new home of the U.S. Space Command headquarters Friday during a visit to Huntsville.
Military leaders, including Hegseth and the Commander of Space Command Gen. Stephen Whiting, unveiled the sign bearing the Space Command seal, marking the location where the permanent headquarters will be built.
“Congratulations to Alabama, congratulations to Huntsville, congratulations to Redstone Arsenal, congratulations to this entire delegation,” Hegseth said during the unveiling ceremony.
Flocked by construction equipment, members of Alabama’s congressional delegation and local leaders spoke about the work that went into making Huntsville the best place to house the combatant command.
Alabama’s congressional delegation at the U.S. Space Command headquarters unveiling ceremony. (Office of U.S. Sen. Katie Britt)
“I want you to understand this is about our national security,” Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Saks, the House Armed Services Committee chair, said.
“If we are going to stay safe and be successful when it comes to military endeavors, we have to control space. Space Command is going to be a critical part of making that happen.”
Alabama’s leaders highlighted how the state’s entire delegation, Republicans and Democrats, stood united in fighting to bring Space Command to Rocket City.
“We know that Alabama was chosen based on merit,” U.S. Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala. “We know that Alabama was chosen because this is the best place for Space Command when it comes to national security.”
U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville summed up the excitement of Friday’s ceremony, calling it a “great day.”
“We need to do it very fast, because most of you out here don’t really realize the problems that we’re having when it comes to space,” Tuberville said. “We need to step up and put our best foot forward. And Huntsville will do that.”
Rep. Dale Strong, R-Huntsville, praised the community that will soon welcome Space Command.
“Huntsville is where unparalleled talent, cutting-edge innovation and mission readiness meet,” he said.
In his remarks, Hegseth urged the Department of Defense to move fast to get the command established.
“It’s the recognition of a full speed ahead, full steam motion to ensure that we break ground, we move, we build, we move people, we move capabilities right where it should be, as quickly as possible,” Hegseth said.
In September, President Donald Trump named Huntsville as the permanent location for the Space Command headquarters after a years-long battle.
Around 1,400 direct jobs tied to the headquarters are expected to come to north Alabama over the next five years.
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