S. 5398 — STARS Act of 2026

This section states congressional findings on the importance of space to U.S. national security and technological leadership, the August 28, 2026, Executive order establishing a 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 supporting universities and industry—for locating the proposed academy.

This section defines "Academy" as the United States Space Academy established under section 4, "Administrator" as the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and "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 space domain leaders. It directs the Administrator to consider Commission recommendations when developing the Academy's governance, curriculum, and implementation plan, subject to the site-selection requirement in section 5.

This section requires the permanent campus of the Academy to be located in Florida. It directs the Administrator to prioritize sites near the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station that enable partnership with Space Launch Delta 45 and Patrick Space Force Base, can accommodate future growth of the cadet corps and faculty, and use 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, construction and operational budget estimates, and an implementation timeline.

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