H.R. 10430 — STARS Act of 2026

This section states congressional findings on the national security importance of space, the August 28, 2026, Executive order establishing the Presidential Commission on the United States Space Academy, and Florida's unique advantages—including the Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Patrick Space Force Base, and related commercial and academic assets—for locating the proposed NASA-led federal service academy.

This section defines the Academy as the United States Space Academy established under section 4, the Administrator as the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and the Commission as the Presidential Commission on the United States Space Academy established by Executive Order of August 28, 2026.

This section establishes the United States Space Academy within the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to provide undergraduate technical education, leadership development, and commissioning or civil-service preparation pathways for future leaders of the space domain. It directs the Administrator to consider Commission recommendations when developing the Academy's governance, curriculum, and implementation plan, subject to the site-selection requirements of section 5.

This section requires the permanent campus of the Academy to be located in Florida. It directs the Administrator to prioritize sites with reasonable proximity or access to the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, direct academic and operational partnerships with Space Launch Delta 45 and Patrick Space Force Base, capacity for future growth of the cadet corps and faculty, and use of existing Federal, State, or university land to minimize acquisition costs, and requires consultation with the Governor of Florida.

This section directs the Administrator to submit a report within 180 days of enactment to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. The report must propose a final site for the Academy in Florida, an academic and leadership curriculum, service obligations for graduates, an estimated construction and operational budget, and an implementation timeline.

This section authorizes appropriations of such sums as may be necessary to the Administrator to carry out the Act, including site acquisition, design, and construction of the Academy's permanent campus.