The race to relocate NASA’s headquarters from Washington, D.C. is heating up, as both Florida and Texas launch aggressive campaigns to claim the future nerve center of America’s space program.
With the lease on NASA’s current headquarters set to expire in 2028, key lawmakers and state leaders are pushing to shift the agency’s leadership closer to its operational hubs — and away from what they describe as bureaucratic stagnation in the nation’s capital.
On Wednesday, Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Congressman Brian Babin (R-TX-36) led a bicameral coalition of Texas lawmakers in sending a letter to President Donald Trump urging the relocation of NASA’s headquarters to Houston’s Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center (JSC).
READ :Florida Senators Scott, Moody Intro CAPE Canaveral Act To Relocate NASA Headquarters
The letter, signed by more than two dozen members of the Texas congressional delegation, argues that Washington’s disconnect from NASA’s core operations has led to inefficient decision-making and weakened interagency collaboration.
“For NASA to return to its core mission of excellence in exploration, its headquarters should be located at a place where NASA’s most critical missions are and where transformational leadership from the ground up can be provided,” the lawmakers wrote. “We strongly encourage you… to relocate NASA’s headquarters from Washington, D.C. to the Johnson Space Center.”
Houston, often dubbed “Space City,” is already home to Mission Control, the NASA astronaut corps, the Lunar Sample Laboratory Facility, and one of the largest NASA workforces in the country. Texas lawmakers also highlighted the state’s pro-business environment, low cost of living, and growing commercial space sector led by companies like SpaceX, Blue Origin, Firefly Aerospace, and Axiom Space.
READ: Florida Rep. Byron Donalds Leads House Push To Relocate NASA Headquarters To Cape Canaveral
Meanwhile, Florida is mounting its own high-profile effort to bring the agency’s top leadership to the Space Coast.
Senator Ashley Moody (R-FL) recently hosted a roundtable with aerospace leaders, university presidents, and economists at Space Florida to promote her “CAPE at Canaveral Act” — a bill that would move NASA headquarters to Cape Canaveral. The proposal leverages Florida’s position as the launchpad of American space exploration, home to Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, and the thriving aerospace ecosystem clustered along the Atlantic coast.
“This effort would improve efficiency, foster collaboration with private space companies, capitalize on our skilled aerospace workforce, and solidify Florida as the Space State,” Moody said at the roundtable.
The event included participation from Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez, university leaders from Embry-Riddle and the University of Florida, and executives from Space Florida and the Florida Space Coast Economic Development Commission.
READ: Senator Moody Eyes Moving NASA HQ To Florida’s Space Coast
They emphasized Florida’s status as the nation’s premier launch site, recent expansions in private-sector investment, and the presence of military installations like Patrick Space Force Base and STARCOM.
Moody also pointed to the creation of the U.S. Space Force under former President Trump — headquartered in Florida — as further justification for consolidating the federal space bureaucracy in the state.
Also, in March, Senators Rick Scott and Moody announced the introduction of the Consolidating Aerospace Programs Efficiently at Canaveral (CAPE Canaveral) Act.
Senator Rick Scott emphasized the benefits of relocating NASA’s headquarters to Florida’s Space Coast.
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“There’s no better place for NASA’s headquarters than Florida’s Space Coast, where our nation’s brightest minds innovate and help America reach for the stars. Moving to Florida will not only save Americans’ tax dollars, it will enhance efficiency and streamline operations in this important industry with proximity to private-sector partners and a top-tier workforce ready to help America reach its space exploration goals. We have worked hard to make Florida the thriving aerospace hub it is today, and I look forward to the quick passage of our legislation and welcoming NASA to the best state in the nation!”
The dueling proposals reflect a broader competition between two states with deep ties to America’s space legacy and future. Texas boasts a central location, deep commercial aerospace roots, and the legacy of the Apollo and Space Shuttle eras anchored in Houston. Florida, meanwhile, remains the launch epicenter of U.S. space missions and offers a uniquely integrated public-private launch infrastructure.
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