PEMBROKE PARK, Fla. – Gov. Ron DeSantis wants the United States Space Command in Florida.
DeSantis sent a letter to President Donald Trump on Tuesday formally asking him to establish its headquarters in the state.
"In addition to an already-existing infrastructure and a highly trained workforce, Florida has enduring partnerships with both the Air Force and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration," DeSantis wrote.
DeSantis said the state is perfectly positioned for the headquarters because of its many U.S. Air Force bases and the Kennedy Space Center.
"Since our first rocket launch at Cape Canaveral in 1950, Florida has served as the Launchpad of our country's achievements in space," DeSantis wrote. "With your assistance, we look forward to continue serving in that role."
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DeSantis also directed Space Florida to make securing the new headquarters a top priority for the aerospace economic development agency.
In December, Trump issued a memorandum reestablishing the defunct United States Space Command as a unified combatant command.
The governor's letter comes on the same day that Trump established the U.S. Space Force as a sixth branch of the military within the Air Force.
"This is an important step toward a future military department for space," Trump's directive said.