Several states are competing to become the new home for NASA’s headquarters, but the outcome might be different than anticipated. A letter from Texas representatives urged President Trump to move the headquarters to the Johnson Space Center in Houston, emphasizing a return to "core mission of excellence in exploration." "For NASA to return to its core mission of excellence in exploration, its headquarters should be located at a place where NASA’s most critical missions are and where transformational leadership from the ground up can be provided,” the letter stated. Florida and Ohio are also in the running, proposing the Kennedy and Glenn Research Centers, respectively. This surge in interest is partially due to the 2028 expiration of the current Washington, D.C., lease.
Initially, NASA sought alternative buildings in the Washington area. However, the Trump administration’s focus on cost reduction fueled interest in a more significant relocation. But this may not involve transferring the entire 2,500-person staff. Internal sources suggest a potential shift towards decentralization, spreading headquarters functions across field centers. Acting administrator Janet Petro explained at the Space Symposium, “One of the executive orders requires us to look at our agency organization and all of its components and see if there’s some optimization or some efficiencies that might be gained by either combining or relocating to more cost-efficient areas.” She confirmed that NASA is assessing the relocation of various functions from Washington, D.C. While acknowledging potential reorganization, Petro expects to maintain a Washington presence. "I would always envision that the office of the administrator would always be in D.C.,” she stated, “along with some key functions like [legislative] affairs, maybe the general counsel, some communications staff, et cetera."
The final decision will await the confirmation of Jared Isaacman as NASA administrator. Petro is preparing a “workforce optimization” plan for Isaacman's consideration. At the Space Symposium, she indicated that the decision would involve Isaacman, political stakeholders, and the White House. "In my mind,” she said, “it would be a decision where Mr. Isaacman, our political stakeholders, the White House, they would all weigh in. I believe it would be a decision made at that level some time in the future.”