Redstone Arsenal finalist Space Command HQ

Afternoon.

We're learning more tonight about the future of the u-s space command.

Redstone arsenal is one of six sites in final consideration for its permanent headquarters.

The joint-combatant command post would bring about 14-hundred jobs to our area.

Waay 31's will robinson-smith has been gathering more on the initiative.

He joins us from one of redstone arsenal's gates with what we know about the comeptition at this point.

The annoucement has garnered a lot of excitement from the community and leaders in madison county.

This started back in 2018 with a presidential memo.

And in just over two years -- space command could be calling the rocket city home.

Putting in a joint combatant command, this is a whole new aspect.

The prospect of space command setting up shop at redstone is something that local leaders like retired four-star general kevin byrnes say is a huge deal.

Kevin byrnes, retired 4-star general that puts us on the map.

We will have a lot of attention, a lot of senior-level visitors out of the pentagon visiting redstone arsenal.

Redstone is one of six sites being considered for the space command headquarters.

They will be judged on four critera: cost, capability, community support and capacity.

Leaders say it's not only companies like blue origin and aerojet rocketdyne surrounding the arsenal that create a good environment for space command -- but also what's happening on site.

Chip cherry, president & ceo huntsville/madison county chamber we've got two of the three groups that are working here for the lunar lander.

Just a lot of things, the sls, a lot of this stuff kind of mixes together to reinforce our position as it relates to propulsion in space and the intelligence side of things.

So, there's a lot of synergy associated with this.

Compared to the last round of consideration -- mike ward -- the chamber's vice president of government affairs -- says the criteria has been heightened for bases in consideration -- which is why most sites from 2019 didn't make the cut this time around.

Mike ward, senior vp, government & public affairs huntsville/madison county chamber there was considerably more detailed information that was requested under each of those areas that we have provided.

Right now, u-s space command is temporarily headquarted at peterson air force base -- another of the six finalists for the permanent site.

Huntsville and madison county leaders have no doubt that north alabama will win out in the end.

Chip cherry, president & ceo huntsville/madison county chamber the first round when they announced the finalists, we didn't even know they were going through that exercise.

They basically just said, 'we're looking at communities and here are the finalists for this.'

And we didn't apply.

And for that to be validated with a round two when they requested a deeper data dive just really validates the value of this federal campus that we call redstone to the national infrastructure.

Another site visit at redstone is expected in the coming months.

The governor of colorado said in a statement that the final decision is expected in january.

Reporting live in huntsville -- will robinson-smith -- waay 31 news.

The u-s air force says it plans to make its final decision early next year.

We'll continue to follow this story and bring you updates as they come in on air and