If a majority of Ohio’s Congressional delegation gets its way, the NASA Glenn Research Center next to Cleveland Hopkins International Airport would be the new home of NASA headquarters. The Trump Administration will have the final decision (NASA). CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.
NASA HQ lease in Washington DC expires in 2028
Both of Ohio’s U.S. senators and 11 of its 15 Congressional representatives urged in a joint letter yesterday to Vice President J.D. Vance and NASA Director Jared Isaacman to relocate the space agency’s 2,500-employee headquarters to Ohio, specifically to Cleveland, after its Washington DC HQ lease expires in 2028.
The nearly all-Republican list of co-signers to the letter said such a move would support President Donald Trump’s stated goals of improving government efficiency. Only one Democrat signed the letter — U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur of Toledo (D-9). NASA is currently headquartered at the Mary W. Jackson NASA Headquarters building, 300 E Street SW, only several blocks from the U.S. Capitol Building in central Washington, DC.
The Ohio Congressional delegation suggested that a location at NASA Glenn Research Center next to Cleveland Hopkins International Airport would be a good location for the relocated headquarters. Most of NASA Glenn is in suburban Brook Park, and in Republican U.S. Rep. Max Miller’s 7th district.
But the eastern part, including all of Hopkins Airport, is in Democrat U.S. Rep. Shontel Brown’s 11th district. She along with Ohio Democrats Greg Landsman (1-Cincinnati), Joyce Beatty (3-Dayton) and Emilia Sykes (13-Akron) did not sign the letter. The original letter is available here and its text is reprinted in its entirety below.
We write to you today regarding a significant opportunity to enhance the effectiveness, efficiency and fiscal responsibility of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) by relocating NASA headquarters from Washington DC to Ohio.
It has come to our attention that NASA has been quietly evaluating potential alternatives to its current headquarters location and the upcoming lease expiration in 2028 provides an opportune moment to make a strategic shift. As members of Congress, we strongly support moving NASA headquarters to Ohio for the following reasons:
Seen in November 2024, NASA’s headquarters in Washington DC are located in a rented building with this unique curving architecture on E Street SW, only several blocks from the U.S. Capitol Building (Google).
Cost savings and efficiency: Cleveland, home to NASA Glenn Research Center, offers a significantly lower cost of living and operating expenses that Washington DC. Relocating NASA HQ to Ohio would result in substantial savings for taxpayers while maintaining access to world-class aerospace research and development resources.
Strategic alignment: The move aligns with broader efforts to decentralize federal agencies and reinvigorate regions outside the Beltway. Ohio is the birthplace of aviation, the heart of America’s aerospace industry and a critical hub for advanced technology research and manufacturing. Placing NASA HQ in the “Heart of it All” would reinforce our national leadership in space exploration and aeronautics innovation.
Optimized workforce and facility utilization: Given that very few NASA HQ employees currently work in-office, consolidating operations near an existing NASA field center would streamline agency functions while ensuring continued access to necessary infrastructure. NASA Glenn Research Center and its Lewis Field site at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport offer extensive office space and redevelopment opportunities, making them ideal locations to accommodate NASA HQ operations.
Support for workforce modernization goals: The incoming administration has signaled a commitment to reshaping the federal workforce by moving administrative agencies out of Washington DC promoting a return-to-office culture, and improving government efficiency. A relocation of NASA HQ aligns with these objectives by encouraging In-person collaboration while reducing unnecessary federal overhead costs.
While we recognize that other states, including Florida, Alabama and Texas, may pursue similar proposals, Ohio presents a uniquely advantageous case due to its rich aerospace heritage, lower operation costs and central role in the nation’s technology and defense sectors. Ohio is the historical home of aviation and ideally suited to lead NASA into the next frontier of both aeronautics functions and space exploration as you lead this agency through its remarkable transformation.
In light of these compelling factors, we respectfully urge this administration and NASA leadership to formally consider Ohio as the new home for NASA headquarters. We request that you engage in further dialogue with congressional representatives and state leaders to evaluate this proposal and outline next steps for implementation. We appreciate your attention to this critical issue and look forward to working together to ensure NASA’s continued success in the 21st century and securing the future of aeronautics research in Ohio (end of letter)
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