Huntsville preferred Space HQ

Air Force Secretary Barbara annoounced Jan. 13 that Huntsville, Ala., has been selected as the preferred site for the HQ of the U.S. Space Command. The decision also prompted critics to question whether President Trump intervened to reward political allies. There were five other sites under consideration. A final decision on the command's home is expected in 2023, but preferred locations are rarely later rejected. "Huntsville compared favorably across more of these factors than any other community, providing a large, qualified workforce, quality schools, superior infrastructure capacity, and low initial and recurring costs," the Air Force said in a statement. The other five sites included Colorado Springs, Colo.; Albuquerque, N.M.; Bellevue, Neb., Cape Canaveral, Fla., and San Antonio, Texas. The space command’s current location is at Peterson AFB near Colorado Springs. Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers said in a statement that he is "extremely disappointed by this development.” He further stated that: "My concern is that politics played a significant role in this result." Politicians from the other states also voiced their angst. The AF evaluated each city's ability to host Space Command HQ based on factors related to the mission, infrastructure capacity, community support and cost to the Pentagon, said Ann Stefanek, a DoD spokesperson. (Source: Washington Post 01/14/21) https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/space-command-huntsville-alabama/2021/01/13/01e0d90c-55d2-11eb-89bc-7f51ceb6bd57_story.html