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Could Space Command Headquarters be coming to Â鶹´«Ã½?

That's the big question now that President-elect Trump is set to return to the White House.

Three years ago, a U.S. Air Force leadership study selected Redstone Arsenal in Â鶹´«Ã½ as the top choice for the headquarters. However, last year, President Biden decided to keep the U.S. Space Command headquarters in Colorado after General James Dickinson, head of Space Command, argued that relocating could compromise military readiness.

Alabama leaders expressed optimism to WAAY 31 on Wednesday, believing President-elect Donald Trump will bring Space Command to Â鶹´«Ã½'s Redstone Arsenal once he takes office.

Alabama Congressman Robert Aderholt said, "I'm going to go out on a limb and say that I believe that Space Command is coming to Â鶹´«Ã½, Madison, and northern Alabama."

Aderholt added that he expects Dickinson to step down with the Biden administration, creating an opportunity for the headquarters to move to Alabama.

"I think we’ll wait for the new Secretary of the Air Force to come in, and I think it'll be somebody who wants to do, obviously, what President Trump wants."

But what could a timeline look like for bringing Space Command to Â鶹´«Ã½? According to Congressman Aderholt, it could happen sooner than anticipated.

“We were looking at several months. Here it is, the first part of November. The new administration won’t start until January. Of course, you have to give them a little time to get their feet on the ground, so I think by spring we should start to see some movement on it," added Aderholt.

WAAY 31 reached out to Sen. Katie Britt and Rep. Dale Strong for their reactions, and both shared statements.

Britt stated, "There is no doubt that Redstone Arsenal should be home to the permanent Space Command Headquarters. Â鶹´«Ã½ finished first in the Air Force’s evaluation and selection phases and had the most advantages in the decision matrix. President Trump will cast aside President Biden’s partisan political considerations and restore the Air Force’s merit-based decision to select Redstone Arsenal as the permanent location for Space Command HQ. I expect Space Command to come home to Alabama, where it belongs."

Strong added, "When President Trump decided Â鶹´«Ã½ should be the permanent home of Space Command, he did so purely on merit and what is best for national security. Â鶹´«Ã½ won each phase of an in-depth selection process by a wide margin. I am confident that President Trump will continue to do what is best for national security and fulfill his initial decision to bring Space Command to North Alabama."

Aderholt noted that with the current hold on construction in Colorado, the prospects look good for Â鶹´«Ã½.

"We've been able to put things on hold in Washington. We were able to and still continue to put things on hold, so they're not continuing to build infrastructure in Colorado to argue that all this development has already been built up there," said Aderholt.