Although Nebraska lost out to Alabama on becoming the preferred site of the U.S. Space Command headquarters, state and university officials said they will continue efforts to locate the combatant command here.
The U.S. Air Force named Huntsville, Alabama, home to the Army's Redstone Arsenal and NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, as the preferred site for the new headquarters.
Offutt Air Force Base in Bellevue, home to the U.S. Strategic Command, was designated a reasonable alternative.
Gov. Pete Ricketts on Wednesday said Nebraska "will continue to make the case" to the incoming Biden administration for bringing Space Command to the Cornhusker State.
NU is also continuing with its plans to create a "Higher Education Space Research and Workforce Alliance," a partnership with three other Midwest universities to develop degree programs supporting a path to employment at the command, provide research and assist in technology development.
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NU President Ted Carter announced the partnership with leaders of Purdue University, Kansas State University and the North Dakota University System last month.
He said the team made "a powerful case for the Heartland" as the right home for Space Command.
"Nebraska is uniquely positioned to be an academic partner to Space Command, and we are moving full speed ahead on our alliance and other opportunities for collaboration," Carter said.
University/state reporter Chris Dunker's memorable stories from 2019
Chris Dunker's most memorable: District split by flood adapts
When a torrent of rainwater and ice broke bridges and destroyed roads in March, the Twin River school district was effectively cut in half. With an assist from some technicians who restored internet service by literally pulling a line across the swollen river, the school district made due, retooling its two sites to finish out the school year.
Chris Dunker's most memorable: Nebraska subsidies total $694M
Data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture show the federal government paid $694 million to nearly 40,000 farmers and businesses in Nebraska to offset losses from the Trump administration’s trade war with China. After learning to use ‘R’ this summer, I created an interactive map to show our readers who was receiving the most in Market Facilitation Program payments.
Chris Dunker's most memorable: Tornado flattens Dairy Sweet
The end of an enjoyable Lincoln Marathon weekend took a terrifying turn as a tornado ripped through Pioneers Park and flattened C & L Dairy Sweet, which had just celebrated its 40th year in business. I arrived on scene shortly after it happened and talked to several people who experienced “the big dust” firsthand.
Chris Dunker's most memorable: Robots in the cornfield
With technology like driverless vehicles, wearable health monitors and drones becoming more ubiquitous in everyday life, some of the most ingenious applications of those technologies come in agriculture. A team of University of Nebraska-Lincoln are building robots that are capable of measuring each individual plant’s needs, marking an enormous leap in precision ag.
Chris Dunker's most memorable: Right out of a spy movie
A routine visit by a pair of international election observers last fall took on a more ominous tone after FBI agents questioned several people who met with them, inquiring if they had been gifted a pen that may have doubled as a listening device right out of a spy movie.
Reach the writer at 402-473-7120 or cdunker@journalstar.com.
On Twitter @ChrisDunkerLJS
Chris Dunker
Higher education/statehouse reporter
Chris Dunker covers higher education, state government and the intersection of both.
