Editorial: Coloradans, unite to keep Space Command in Colorado Springs

Now that the bitter presidential election is over, Coloradans can unite for one clear goal – keeping the U.S. Space Command headquarters in Colorado Springs.

Whether people of this great state voted for Donald Trump, Kamala Harris, Robert F. Kennedy or Jill Stein, they can all see the benefits of keeping the Space Command in Colorado. Yes, the command means more than 1,000 jobs in Colorado Springs and a huge economic boost, but there are less selfish reasons to support Space Command remaining at Peterson Air Force Base.

Primarily, it makes good economic sense.

Space Command has been in Colorado – setting down roots and developing its headquarters – since August 2019. Uprooting the headquarters now would waste millions of dollars in federal money, which is exactly the kind of waste that we are all hoping the next Trump administration can eliminate.

No one has said it better than former Congressman Doug Lamborn, a Republican from Colorado Springs, during a 2021 congressional hearing about moving the base. “Every dollar spent on moving Space Command is a wasted dollar that could be spent on enhancing space capabilities.”

Intuitively we know that moving the command will cost millions, but Gen. James Dickinson testified before Congress that expensive communications equipment and connections would be necessary to upgrade the Huntsville, Ala., facilities.

Lamborn, retired this year, and was just replaced in Congress by Jeff Crank, who has made it clear he will fight to keep Space Command in his new district. Colorado’s two other new representatives should follow suit — Rep. Gabe Evans and Rep. Jeff Hurd. If Colorado’s congressional delegation remains united on this front, we think they can effectively block an attempt to move the command.

In January 2021 every member from Colorado in the U.S. House and Senate signed onto a letter urging President Joe Biden not to move Space Command to Huntsville. Pentagon officials advised Biden that while Huntsville had technically beat out Colorado Springs with its bid to host the command, keeping the command in Colorado Springs had many inherent advantages including immediate readiness for war and general operations.

It is simply common sense to support Space Command’s continued presence in a location that is within a half hour of other critical military assets, including the National Space Defense Center, the U.S. Northern Command, North American Aerospace Defense Command, Cheyenne Mountain Space Force Station, and the U.S. Air Force Academy.

The Air Force Academy is producing new cadets for the Space Force every year, and Space Force also has a significant presence at Aurora’s Buckley Air Force Base.

Many good reasons exist to perform base realignment and closure over time. Americans benefit from an efficient and consolidated military force, but in this case, that efficiency and consolidation will come from keeping Space Command where it is.

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