The National Space Society (NSS) welcomes the U.S. Administration’s proposal to establish a United States Space Academy, a NASA-led institution meant to prepare the next generation of astronauts, scientists, engineers, operators, entrepreneurs, and civil servants for careers in space.

The NSS has pushed for stronger STEM pathways and a deeper aerospace talent pipeline for years. A dedicated Space Academy fits that mission, and the proposal’s stated goal of developing the next generation of space leaders aligns with the NSS’s focus on opening the aperture for increased human participation in space activities. Additionally, during the event it was mentioned that to “explore and settle” space were key directions for the U.S. space program, both of which align with the NSS’s vision and mission.

The NSS also knows from long experience that an institution’s success depends on the commitment behind it. The organization encourages Congress and the administration to pair the academy with stable, sustained funding, so the institution can deliver on its full promise from the start.

Done right, the academy could expand early STEM exposure, strengthen engineering pipelines, and open real pathways into aerospace careers, civilian, commercial, and national security alike. The NSS also encourages the commission shaping the academy to think about a few open questions: should it include graduate programs from the start rather than leaving advanced study to other institutions, and could a measured number of international students, particularly from Artemis Accords partner nations, strengthen both the academic environment and America’s diplomatic standing in space.

By establishing a federal institution dedicated to space education and leadership development, the U.S. would take a historic step toward building the workforce needed to support lunar development, Mars exploration, commercial space stations, in‑space servicing, planetary defense, and the broader space economy.

“A Space Academy is exactly the kind of investment we need in the people who will carry humanity into space,” said Grant Henriksen, Chair of the NSS Policy Committee. “The NSS looks forward to working with Congress and the administration to help make sure it’s built on the stable footing it deserves, so this becomes a lasting institution rather than a moment.”