Cruz, Texas lawmakers pitch San Antonio for Space Command headquarters

Sens. Ted Cruz (R) and John Cornyn (R), along with a bipartisan group of congressional members from Texas, wrote a letter to U.S. Air Force Secretary Barbara Barrett asking her to consider designating San Antonio as the location for U.S. Space Command headquarters.

“We write in support of Port San Antonio, a rapidly expanding technology and innovation complex, and Joint Base San Antonio (JBSA) as the future basing location for the U.S. Space Command headquarters,” read the letter. “Better known as Military City USA, San Antonio has a long and distinguished record of support for our nation’s armed forces as well as their family members and veterans.” 

Cruz currently serves as the chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Aviation and Space.

“Similarly, the rapid growth over the last two decades at Port San Antonio has produced a robust industrial base with over 13,000 employees among more than 80 public and private companies specializing in aerospace, defense, robotics, cybersecurity, logistics, and other high-tech industries,” according to the letter. “Just five miles north of this technology campus is the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) which compliments Port San Antonio’s capabilities with innovative space research and design.”

The location of the U.S. Space Command headquarters is expected to be announced in January. Space News reported in July that the Department of the Air Force had received 26 nominations from states vying to host the headquarters.

In August, Cruz made a similar appeal in a letter written to Barrett, supporting the nominations of Houston, Fort Worth and San Antonio.

In August I wrote to @SecAFOfficial that “Texas is the prime location for the new headquarters for U.S. Space Command.” Thrilled San Antonio — a great home to military members & veterans & advanced educational institutions — is a finalist in the selection process. pic.twitter.com/Qqsz9neD3O

— Senator Ted Cruz (@SenTedCruz) November 20, 2020

Space Command is temporarily headquartered in Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs.