The STARS Act of 2026 establishes the United States Space Academy as a new federal service academy under NASA to train future space professionals, including astronauts, engineers, operators, and civil servants. The bill mandates that the academy's permanent campus be located in Florida, with the NASA Administrator required to prioritize sites near Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, and Patrick Space Force Base to maximize cadet training opportunities alongside active space operations. Within 180 days of the bill's enactment, NASA must submit a report to Congress identifying the specific Florida site, proposing an academic curriculum, determining service obligations for graduates, and providing construction and operational budgets along with an implementation timeline. The legislation authorizes open-ended appropriations for site acquisition, design, and construction, though no specific funding amount is specified in the bill itself. The academy would operate as a federal service academy similar to West Point or Annapolis, preparing cadets for careers in the space industry and national security space operations.