President Donald Trump on Friday signed an executive order establishing the U.S. Space Academy, a military academy for the U.S. Space Force.

Trump created the Space Force during his first time, marking the first time in decades that the U.S. established a new service branch of the armed forces. The academy is being created to prepare Americans to serve in the Space Force. 

"Given the rapid growth of the Space Force and the commercial space industry, and the expansion of our ambitions to the moon and far beyond the moon ... it's clear that we will need to educate and train an entire generation of skilled service members, engineers and civil operators," he said in an announcement.

"That's a big deal," he added, likening the planned facility to West Point, Annapolis, and the other military service academies.

Ben Whedon is the Chief Political Correspondent for Just the News. Follow him on X.