US accelerates Space Command headquarters move

Washington, Sep 3 (IANS) The United States is accelerating the relocation of its Space Command headquarters to Alabama, with more than 140 military and civilian personnel already operating there and plans for more than 900 headquarters staff by fiscal year 2028, the Pentagon said.

The update came exactly one year after President Donald Trump announced that US Space Command would move from Colorado Springs, Colorado, to Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama.

The personnel already working from three facilities at Redstone represent about 10 per cent of the command’s total manpower.

The Pentagon on Wednesday (local time) said the Alabama operation has expanded beyond personnel handling the relocation itself to include staff directly involved in Space Command’s military mission.

Its Intelligence Directorate established a Joint Intelligence Support Element at Redstone in April, making it the first staff directorate to support operations from northern Alabama.

US Space Command chief Gen. Stephen Whiting said last month that the transition would continue at a rapid pace.

“Now, about 11 months since the President made his announcement, we have over 113 people,” Whiting said.

“We’re on our way to 200 people by the end of this year… and half of our staff here in 2028.”

The Pentagon said $147.5 million in fiscal 2026 funding had allowed Space Command to establish secure digital infrastructure at Redstone.

The infrastructure is intended to ensure uninterrupted global command and control as the headquarters expands to ultimately accommodate more than 900 personnel by fiscal 2028.

Another $57 million has been allocated this fiscal year for planning and designing the permanent command-and-control facility.

In the meantime, Space Command is operating from interim facilities made available by organisations including the Missile Defense Agency, Missile and Space Intelligence Center, FBI and US Army Space and Missile Defense Command.

Whiting said the relocation was proceeding while the command continued its operational responsibilities.

“Thanks to the incredible support shown to the command, to include the Department of the Air Force, Army Contracting Command, and Team Redstone – alongside communities in both Colorado and Alabama, our team has remained laser focused on sustaining full mission execution while keeping our headquarters relocation moving on-time and on-budget,” he said.

“It is a testament to the professionalism and dedication of our people that we accomplished this while advancing national interests on-orbit alongside allies and partners and delivering space effects to the Joint Force.”

US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth linked the relocation to Washington’s broader military-space strategy.

“Over the past year, the Department of War has carried out the President’s direction to relocate US Space Command with speed and common sense, identifying and leveraging every opportunity to cut through red tape and bureaucracy in order to get the job done,” Hegseth said.

“As we continue to execute this move, we do so with the same unrelenting focus on sustaining America’s dominance in space and expanding our lethality in all warfighting domains.”

US Space Command is one of America’s unified combatant commands and is responsible for military operations involving the space domain.

–IANS

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