Could U.S. Space Force base a testing mission in Ohio?
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COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — A bipartisan group of top Ohio lawmakers are urging the U.S. Space Force to select the state as the headquarters for a testing mission designed to evaluate the capabilities of the force’s squadrons.
The legislators argue a Space Force mission named “Delta 12” should be based in Sandusky given the area’s Neil Armstrong Test Facility is home to world-class space simulation capabilities, a letter signed by Sen. Sherrod Brown, Sen. JD Vance and other lawmakers to the Department of Defense said.
“Ohio is a space state,” the letter states, also signed by Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-Columbus), Rep. Warren Davidson (R-Troy) and more. “Our state is integral to the history of flight, and because of our manufacturing prowess, federal assets, world-class research institutions, and skilled workforce, the future of aviation and space innovation will take place in Ohio.”
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Delta 12 is dedicated to remaining on the cutting edge of advancements in combat space systems, and its squadrons depend on access to operationally realistic environments. The legislators said the Armstrong facility can provide Delta 12 with the ability to conduct testing in hypersonics, in-space propulsion and electric aircraft testing.
In addition, NASA’s Glenn Research Center, which houses the Armstrong facility in Sandusky, features the world’s largest and most powerful space environment simulation facilities. Locating Delta 12 in Ohio would also allow the mission to collaborate with the National Space Intelligence Center, the Department of Defense’s primary source for space intelligence headquartered in Dayton.
The letter cites the CHIPS and Science Act, a multibillion-dollar package providing $52 billion in incentives and tax credits for semiconductor chip makers like Intel, which the legislators say is fueling a high-tech manufacturing boom in Ohio.
“Ohio’s engineers and scientists are skilled, educated, and eager to advance the forefronts of innovation,” the letter states. “The proximity of military and federal space-related missions in Ohio represents a unique opportunity to accelerate and grow the capabilities of the United States.”
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The effort comes after state politicians launched a failed campaign for President Biden to chose Ohio as the next home for the U.S. Space Command. In June of last year, the Ohio House passed a resolution urging the federal government to pick Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton as the new Space Command.
Brown took to the Senate floor in early June to call for Space Command’s relocation to Ohio. In a letter to Biden and top Air Force officials, the Ohio Mayor’s Alliance — a bipartisan group of mayors from the state’s 30 largest cities — signaled its support for a Space Command move to Ohio.
“Ohio’s cities both in the Dayton and southwest Ohio area as well as the rest of the state are ready, willing, and able to invest in education, housing, and employing Space Force families and all of its related suppliers and services,” the letter read.
Ultimately, Ohio didn’t make the shortlist for Space Command’s headquarters, which included other “reasonable alternatives” like, Albuquerque, New Mexico; Cape Canaveral, Florida; and San Antonio, Texas. Biden announced in late July the headquarters would remain where it had already been stationed in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
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This past November, the Statehouse advanced a bill to include the Space Force within Ohio’s legal definition of the Armed Services, legislation lawmakers argue is necessary for members and veterans to receive military benefits. Sen. Kristina Roegner (R-Hudson), the bill’s primary sponsor, said there are no guarantees that those in the Space Force are eligible to receive the same benefits and protections as those in other branches of the military until the legislation becomes law.
Roegner said there are nearly 15,000 Americans are serving within Space Force, including personnel in Ohio in the Space Delta 18 at the National Space Intelligence Center. The bill passed in the Senate, and is awaiting committee hearings in the House.
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