From Ars Technica · · 2m
Pentagon eyes military satellites around the Moon
The US military is seeking contractors to build a constellation of satellites for cislunar space, signaling a shift toward armed presence near the Moon.
In brief
The US military is seeking contractors to build a constellation of satellites for cislunar space, signaling a shift toward armed presence near the Moon. The Pentagon has issued a request for information on deploying military satellites around the Moon to protect US interests as China ramps up its lunar program…
Pentagon seeks Moon satellite constellation
The US military has published a Request for Information seeking contractors to deploy a proliferated cislunar constellation of satellites around the Moon with an undisclosed mission.
Space Force extends reach beyond Earth orbit
The Space Force's most distant satellites today are in geostationary orbit, some twenty-two thousand miles over the equator, collecting routine surveillance and missile warning data.
Trump order shifts Pentagon thinking on Moon
President Donald Trump signed an executive order last December setting out space policy, including the US government's ability to detect, characterize, and counter threats to US space interests from low-Earth orbit to cislunar space.
Military frames Moon as warfighting domain
Maj. Gen. Stephen Purdy, the Space Force's acquisitions chief for advanced programs, told industry at an October event that Pentagon leadership views the Moon as a warfighting domain requiring military presence.
“I've got the Secretary of War and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs full on stating in public: 'This is a warfighting domain.'”
US and China compete for lunar real estate
Officials emphasize the military's role is to protect US interests as the United States and China ramp up lunar programs, with competition expected for a finite number of safe landing zones accessing the Moon's water…
First five satellites planned for late twenty twenty-nine
The Department of the Air Force released an RFI dated November two asking companies for rapid, low-risk solutions.
Initial satellites may seed larger constellation
The RFI hints at a vision for a much larger fleet. The first five satellites may serve as seed vehicles that will inform the acquisition strategy for a potential future proliferated cislunar constellation.
“may serve as seed vehicles that will inform the acquisition strategy for a potential future proliferated cislunar constellation”
Responses due November twenty-fourth
The Pentagon will award up to five firm fixed price preliminary design study contracts upon consideration of market information collected with this RFI. Responses are due by November twenty-fourth.
Oracle missions test cislunar operations
The Air Force Research Laboratory is leading Oracle-Mobility, a seventy-five million dollar mission scheduled to launch mid-twenty twenty-seven toward the Moon.
The takeaway
The Pentagon has issued a request for information on deploying military satellites around the Moon to protect US interests as China ramps up its lunar program.
