Election season is underway in Ohio (for some voters), and Governor Mike DeWine is wrapping up his final term.
DeWine has already overseeb new highway rest areas in Ohio, invested $65 million in funding to support local drinking water infrastructure projects, approved $9 million for school commuting safety and earned a national honor for his children's eyesight program.
Now, DeWine wants to make Ohio the home for the U.S. Space Academy. Here's how plans to make it happen.
DeWine gives 2 reasons Ohio would be good home for US Space Academy
NASA released a Request for Information seeking details from governors interested in housing the U.S. Space Academy in their state, after President Donald Trump called for establishing one.
Ohio's infrastructure, partnerships, community support, and support for the vision of a United
States Space Academy make the state an ideal location, according to a press release on the governor's website.
Part of that infrastructure includes two notable government sites — Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and NASA's Glenn Research Center near Cleveland.
“A Space Academy is essential to our Nation’s preeminence in air and space -- and Ohio is not only the birthplace of aviation – we continue to be on the leading edge of aerospace and defense,” DeWine said in the press release. “Because of their leadership role in Air and Space and their critical proximity, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Glenn Research Center make Ohio the ideal location for the U.S. Space Academy. These unique sites, along with Ohio’s educational and workforce assets, have the ‘right stuff’ to bolster space research and development, space intelligence, space education, as well as protect our national security interests.”
DeWine created an 11-person steering group for the application, which will help prepare Ohio’s response to the RFI issued by the federal government. Members of the steering group include:
- Chair Lydia Mihalik, director of the Ohio Department of Development
- Vice Chair Mike Duffey, chancellor of the Ohio Department of Higher Education
- JP Nauseef, CEO of Jobs Ohio
- Matt Dolan, CEO of Team NEO
- Jeff Hoagland, president and CEO of the Dayton Development Coalition
- Gen. Lester Lyles (Ret.), adviser to Jobs Ohio and Gov. DeWine
- Lt. Gen. (Ret.) JT Thompson
- Jim Free, retired NASA Senior Civilian
- Col. (Ret.) Joe Zeis, aerospace and defense adviser to Gov. Mike DeWine
- Meghan Wadsworth, assistant policy director, Office of Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine
- John Horack, vice president for research, the Ohio State University
What is the US Space Academy?
The new U.S. Space Academy is part of President Donald Trump's effort to establish the country's space superiority.
"To continue to lead the world in space exploration and technology ... the nation must prepare the next generation of astronauts, scientists, engineers, operators, entrepreneurs, civil servants and ensure that they are capable of advancing American interests in space," a White House press release reads. "Achieving this goal requires us to recruit, train, and retain America’s best and brightest from across the Nation."
The Space Academy will be the hub for "expanding opportunities to educate and develop the next generation of leaders across the space domain," according to the press release.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Gov. Mike DeWine points to 2 reasons US Space Academy belongs in Ohio
