The U.S. must focus on cislunar space

OPINION:

Cislunar space, the region between Earth and the moon, is emerging as a decisive theater in the competition for global influence. As the United States and China vie for leadership in space, this domain is becoming an increasingly important focus for scientific advancement, economic opportunity and national security.

With more than 100 planned lunar missions in the next decade, the competition is strategic. The U.S. needs to enhance its operational architecture and focus more on cislunar space to secure this new high ground.

Space situational awareness in geosynchronous orbit (GEO) already poses significant challenges.

Cislunar is exponentially more complex. The domain is more than 1,000 times the volume of GEO and dynamic, governed by the competing gravitational pulls of the Earth, moon and sun. These dynamics enable spacecraft to travel on trajectories that can obscure their intent, conserve fuel and bypass traditional detection methods.

Why it matters

Cislunar space is not just for exploration; it is becoming a domain of economic and strategic competition that will shape the balance of power.

At the heart of this lies the moon, which holds untapped economic potential. Lunar ice could be harvested to produce oxygen and water, enabling an off-world logistics network. Even more transformative is helium-3, which is rare on Earth but relatively abundant on the moon and could revolutionize fusion energy production and quantum computing.

Thorium, also thought to be plentiful on the moon, could power reactors for surface habitation and spacecraft missions. Meanwhile, cislunar offers ideal locations for edge-computing data nodes — crucial infrastructure for space-based internet, artificial intelligence and communication systems — enabling global connectivity.

Leadership in cislunar space is more than just presence; it’s also about establishing rules. The U.S. could establish a transparent and inclusive framework that defines responsible behavior, ensures fair access and promotes shared use. This is in stark contrast with China’s opaque, military-driven model. Beijing’s stated goal of sharing lunar science and technology with developing nations is nothing more than a facade. It sees cislunar as a tool for influence, exporting its approach to governance, which is in line with the terrestrial “One Belt, One Road” initiative.

Cislunar is the new high ground. It’s rich in resources, vital to communications and defense, and central to international norms and influence. For the U.S., the challenge is clear: Lead now or risk being left behind by those who do.

What we need

To lead in the rapidly evolving cislunar domain, the U.S. must focus on building key enabling infrastructure. Without it, leadership in space will be claimed by those already moving decisively, chief among them China. Three core areas demand immediate and sustained investment: communications, navigation and space situational awareness.

First, the communications infrastructure must be advanced well beyond current capabilities. As activity around the moon increases, high-bandwidth, delay-tolerant and resilient links become essential for mission success and strategic coordination. Laser communications, which transmit vast amounts of data directly to Earth, are no longer optional.

To prevent crippling bandwidth bottlenecks, the U.S. must invest in optical relays positioned at key cislunar points. China has already deployed two communication satellites to the moon, enabling connectivity with operations on the far side. Its testing of direct-to-Earth laser communications signals a serious commitment to dominating this area. The U.S. cannot afford to fall further behind.

Second, positioning, navigation and timing systems must be reimagined for the cislunar environment. Traditional GPS does not extend beyond Earth’s orbit, leaving spacecraft around the moon to rely on autonomous methods. Developing and standardizing new navigation systems is crucial for safety and operational effectiveness.

NASA’s CAPSTONE mission demonstrates that this technology is not theoretical; it’s viable. Simultaneously, China is steadily deploying spacecraft that appear to lay the groundwork for its cislunar navigation architecture. The U.S. must accelerate efforts to maintain freedom of action in space.

Third, the vast expanse of cislunar space must be monitored through advanced space situational awareness systems. Unlike low earth orbit, cislunar space covers millions of miles, making traditional tracking methods insufficient. Large-scale deployment of space-based sensors is essential. China’s aggressive satellite maneuvers highlight the urgent need for real-time awareness of spacecraft behavior.

Without it, there is a risk of misinterpreting adversarial actions and unnecessarily escalating tensions.

Securing the lunar frontier

The cislunar regime is the first “island chain” of space. The way in which we operate there will define the norms, alliances and capabilities that govern human expansion beyond Earth. The U.S. can either lead that process or be forced to react to terms set by others.

• Bradley Cheetham is CEO and president of Advanced Space.