US to establish first space academy, expand "far beyond the Moon"

US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Friday to establish the country’s first space academy and interacted with astronauts stationed at the International Space Station, during a visit to Nasa’s Mission Control in Houston.According to a Nasa press release, the proposed ‘US Space Academy’ intends to strengthen the nation’s space workforce and develop the next generation of space leaders.“Given the rapid growth of the US Space Force and commercial space industry, and the expansion of our ambitions to the Moon and far beyond the Moon, it’s clear we will need to educate and train an entire generation of skilled service members, engineers, and civil operators”, Trump said.Nasa administrator Jared Isaacman has been appointed as the chair of a new Presidential Commission on the United States Space Academy, while Nasa deputy administrator Matt Anderson will serve as the executive director.“In the years ahead, we will return Nasa astronauts to…