Last week, Governor Polis and Lt. Governor Primavera welcomed an announcement that Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs has been selected as one of the six finalists for the permanent home of U.S. Space Command. Following this important announcement, federal, state, and local officials along with key leaders praised the decision and the benefits offered by keeping U.S. Space Command in Colorado Springs:
United States Senator Michael Bennet: “Congratulations to Colorado Springs on being named a finalist to be the permanent home of U.S. Space Command. I also offer my gratitude and congratulations to all those across Colorado, especially the Aurora community, who have worked tirelessly for the last year to reinforce Colorado’s identity as the epicenter of the nation’s national security space mission,” said Senator Bennet. “With our infrastructure, innovation, work force, and commitment to the space mission, there is no better permanent home for U.S. Space Command than Colorado. I look forward to the final selection in the near future.”
Brigadier General Laura Clellan: “The Peterson-Schriever Garrison is the right home for U.S. Space Command, both now and in the future,” said Brigadier General Clellan, the Adjutant General of Colorado. “The State of Colorado is home to both a wealth of national security space talent and a supportive community that embraces the military family.”
Katy Anthes, Ph.D, Commissioner, CO Department of Education: “Colorado schools and districts have a rich history of supporting military bases and the families that serve our country. Our districts neighboring Peterson Air Force Base provide a high quality education for students, ensuring that military students are supported and have opportunities to participate in all that Colorado has to offer. Our school districts have been working closely with military bases for years to ensure seamless transitions for students from all around the world to Colorado schools, and we are thrilled about the opportunity to support families that would be part of U.S. Space Command in Colorado Springs. Our mission at the Department of Education is to ensure equity and opportunity for all students. Statewide, Colorado provides full-day kindergarten for all students and is investing in preschool for all 4-year-olds. We have rigorous academic standards in all content areas, and we support an expanding array of choices for meaningful work-based learning opportunities for high school students, including apprenticeships and internships. We look forward to continued partnership with our districts and schools to support our military families and ensure that all students receive a high quality education that prepares them for lifelong success.”
Betsy Markey, Executive Director, Office of Economic Development and International Trade: “We are gratified to see Colorado Springs named as a finalist for U.S. Space Command,” said OEDIT Executive Director Markey. “Home to U.S. Space Command for 17 years and its current provisional basing location, Peterson Air Force is the ideal location for U.S. Space Command’s permanent base. Colorado has a proven record defending our nation in the space domain and this rich history of service, combined with our unparalleled infrastructure to support the command and our dynamic talent pool trained in all facets of space operations, makes Peterson AFB the strategic choice to base the Command.”
Honorable Sue Payton, Former Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition: “In a dynamic combat environment where our space assets are continuously under attack, why disrupt the continuity of current space operations and mission success? What is so broken that it will be fixed by the added expense, time and workforce diversions required to replicate our existing infrastructure to a new location? The squeeze is definitely not worth the juice!”
General Kevin Chilton, USAF (Ret.), Former Commander of Air Force Space Command: “The announcement of Colorado Springs as one of six finalists for the establishment of a permanent home for U.S. Space Command is terrific news for the City, our State and the Nation. Peterson and Schriever Air Force Bases are the operational backbone of the Space Force and co-locating their Combatant Command Headquarters in Colorado makes perfect sense! The outstanding front range educational institutions of Colorado State University, CU Boulder, the University of Colorado Colorado Springs and the Air Force Academy combined with the already strong presence of the space industrial base in Colorado will provide a ready feedstock of expertise for the challenges this new command will face going forward.”
Lieutenant General David Deptula, USAF (Ret.), Dean, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies : “The right solution for the permanent location of U.S. Space Command, is where it is today–Colorado Springs. Colorado is the ideal site to ensure the operational success of Space Command’s missions for a variety of reasons beginning with the fact that it is the most affordable and efficient choice. It requires no expenditure of tax-payer money nor any delay in operations that would be incurred with a move. Colorado provides the connective tissue that enhances the coordination that occurs on a continuous face-to-face basis between Space Command, Northern Command, North American Aerospace Defense Command, the joint overhead persistent infrared center, and the National Space Defense Center–all co-located in Colorado. Let’s keep U.S. Space Command in Colorado Springs and get on with building a stronger space warfighting capability by not diverting resources to move the command for no good reason.”
Mr. Joe Garcia, Chancellor, Colorado Community College System: “I know that Colorado will welcome the US Space Command not only with enthusiasm and open arms but with the best educated workforce in the country. Our community colleges and our research universities partner to prepare our students for the jobs of the future, including the complex fields of technology, engineering, communications, cyber-security, and aerospace. Colorado’s system of community colleges stands ready to assist the Space Command in achieving its mission and serving our nation’s interests.”
John Suthers, Mayor, Colorado Springs: “Colorado Springs is without question the ideal location to serve as the permanent home of U.S. Space Command considering our incredible quality of life, five military installations, significant existing talent base, and experience as a community that has long supported the U.S. Armed Forces. Along with these assets, we also already have the infrastructure to house this operation, and much of USSPACECOM’s future leadership will be trained right here at the U.S. Air Force Academy. I commend the Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC on its tireless work in continuing this bid process, and look forward to the announcement in January.”
Councilman David Gruber, City of Aurora: “Aurora congratulates Colorado Springs for being chosen as a finalist for the permanent home of US Space Command. Colorado has the highest per capita number of space professionals in the nation. When they win the competition for the headquarters, Aurora and the rest of Colorado will benefit. We wish Colorado Springs the best of luck in gaining the permanent home of the new command.”
Dirk Draper, President and CEO, Colorado Springs Chamber and EDC: “Colorado Springs is pleased to be a finalist to host U.S. Space Command. This announcement illustrates the Air Force recognizes we are THE center of gravity for military space operations, with a majority of the nation’s related assets at or near Peterson Air Force Base. Through decades of hosting military space operations, we have built an ecosystem of more than 250 aerospace and defense companies, research and development entities, and a strong system of higher education – notably including the U.S. Air Force Academy. The state and this region have invested billions in infrastructure to support the military, from transportation to cyber to force protection. There is no location in the United States better equipped right now to host and support this new command.”
Alires Almon, Chair, Colorado Space Business Roundtable: “The Colorado Space Business Roundtable is proud to be part of the effort to solidify Colorado Springs as the home of U.S. Space Command. Our organization is part of the ecosystem that will enable the success of U.S. Space Command by ensuring that companies, large and small, across the state will be a part of its success. Becoming the permanent home of U.S. Space Command will solidify Colorado’s place in history as a vital part of space exploration now and in the future.”
Vicky Lea, Director Aerospace & Aviation with the Colorado Space Coalition, an initiative of the Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation: “As the current home to U.S. Space Command, Colorado already has everything needed for mission success,” said Ms. Lea, Director Aerospace & Aviation with the Colorado Space Coalition, an initiative of the Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation. “We have an unequalled infrastructure in place that includes the nation’s largest concentration of private sector aerospace workers, more than five hundred space-related companies, and an unparalleled environment of fully-integrated commercial, civil and academic space assets. It’s an exceptional mix of talent and collaboration that drives a unique ability to deliver the agile and innovative capabilities U.S. Space Command requires. Colorado’s aerospace community throughout the entire state is proud to support U.S. Space Command’s present and future mission success in Colorado Springs.”
Dr. Janine Davidson, President, Metropolitan State University of Denver, Former Undersecretary of the Navy: “Colorado is the perfect place for the nation’s new Space Command headquarters. Our highly collaborative community of industry and higher education partners have a rich history of supporting America’s space program. MSU Denver looks forward to partnering with SPACECOM to provide the kind talent and expertise, across multiple disciplines that the Command will need for a successful launch.”
Earlier this year, Governor Polis met with President Trump and reminded him why Colorado is the perfect home for U.S. Space Command. The Polis-Primavera Administration has also worked to demonstrate why Colorado offers the ideal location for military families and space professions to work and live, including our support of military spouse licensure reciprocity, demonstrating the quality of Colorado’s educational environment, and showcasing Colorado’s uncomparable standard of living which includes 300 days of sunshine and one of the healthiest states in the nation.