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Palmdale Says It's The Best Home For U.S. Space Command
Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs is serving as temporary headquarters of the U.S. Space Command for at least the next six years. (Duncan Wood/U.S. Air Force)
Palmdale is urging the Pentagon to select it as the headquarters of the new U.S. Space Command.
The city is competing against communities in 26 states; the winner stands to gain some 1,400 jobs and $1-2 billion in federal money just to construct the agency's headquarters.
Palmdale officials point out that some call the Antelope Valley "Aerospace Valley" because of its long history with aeronautics and spacecraft.
Palmdale saw the first flight of the SR-71 Blackbird back in 1964. The space shuttle was built there. There are street signs that read Columbia and Challenger.
"[I]f Space Com comes here, this seriously could be the center of the aerospace universe," said Palmdale City Manager J.J. Murphy.
READ OUR FULL STORY ON PALMDALE'S BID FOR U.S. SPACE COMMAND:
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