BLUF

The Pentagon has designated cislunar space (the region of space between the Earth and the Moon) a warfighting domain, prompting Space Force to rapidly field commercial technologies and autonomous spacecraft by 2029. Driven by China’s growing Earth-Moon surveillance and operational presence.

Learning Outcomes 

  • Explain why the U.S. Department of Defense has designated cislunar space as a priority warfighting domain and identify the strategic factors driving this shift.
  • Describe the Space Force’s plans to acquire commercially available cislunar technologies, including space domain awareness, positioning, navigation and timing (PNT), and autonomous spacecraft capabilities.
  • Assess the role of emerging technologies, interagency cooperation, and commercial industry partnerships in supporting future military operations between Earth and the Moon. 

References