Trump orders creation of US ‘Space Academy’, amid rivalry with China

US President Donald Trump on Friday announced the creation of a “Space Academy” to train future civilian and military recruits for an arena where the United States faces rivalry with China.

Speaking at Nasa’s Johnson Space Centre in Houston, Trump said the institution would be modelled on the famed US military academy at West Point.

“It’s called the US Space Academy. That’s a big deal,” Trump said as he signed an executive order creating the new school.

“It’ll serve both the United States Space Force as well as Nasa and the civilian space flight industry, and it’ll attract, train, and graduate the very best of our nation.”

Trump has credited the US Space Force, the sixth branch of the US armed forces, with an important role in the recent American military operations in Venezuela and Iran.

He did not say where the new academy would be built.