Authored by Travis Gillmore via The Epoch Times,
President Donald Trump signed an executive order launching the U.S. Space Academy on Friday during a ceremony at NASA's Johnson Space Center, where he awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honor to four astronauts who crewed the Artemis II mission.
Administration officials are directed to submit a proposal within 120 days to establish the Space Academy, under NASA's leadership, to provide technical education and degree programs needed to train the next generation of leaders to help guide NASA, Space Force, and businesses in the private sector.
"It will attract, train, graduate the very best of our nation, that our nation really has to offer," Trump said. "But first, we have to honor the heroes who are inspiring the next generation of astronauts and pioneers."
The president applauded the dozens of individuals in NASA's astronaut corps on the stage behind him before recognizing the Artemis II crew.
"We gather here on these historic grounds to celebrate the immense courage and service of four intrepid space heroes whose sense of daring and adventure led them further from Earth than anyone who's ever traveled before," Trump said during the event.
NASA astronauts Commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, and mission specialist Christina Koch were joined by Canadian Space Agency mission specialist Jeremy Hansen for the flight, as the astronauts trav
