--- title: "US Military Considers Deploying Satellites Around the Moon" url: https://noti.group/us-military-considers-deploying-satellites-around-the-moon/ language: en publisher: "Noti Group" section: "Technology" published: 2026-11-09T19:08:37.000Z updated: 2026-11-10T02:51:43.196Z id: 1df058f7-7651-4193-a156-2c2c282a1581 source: "Ars Technica https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/11/us-military-notionally-interested-in-satellite-constellation-around-moon/" attribution: "Link to https://noti.group/us-military-considers-deploying-satellites-around-the-moon/ and name Noti Group when you quote or summarize this story." --- # US Military Considers Deploying Satellites Around the Moon The United States military is considering deploying a network of satellites around the Moon as part of its expanding presence in space. The United States military is considering deploying a network of satellites in orbit around the Moon as part of its expanding presence in space. This move has been signaled through a Request for Information (RFI) posted on a federal procurement website, which seeks input from industry and academia on the feasibility of such a project. According to the RFI, the military is looking to establish a "proliferated cislunar constellation" comprising an unspecified number of satellites. The mission objectives and specific tasks these satellites would perform are not detailed in the document. However, it does indicate that the deployment would take place in the vicinity of the Moon. The announcement comes on the heels of statements made by Maj. Gen. Stephen Purdy, the Space Force's acquisitions chief for advanced programs, who has emphasized the military's growing interest in extending its reach to the Moon. The Space Force currently operates satellites at a distance of approximately 22,000 miles (36,000 kilometers) over the equator, gathering data on surveillance and missile warnings. The Pentagon's shift towards prioritizing space operations around the Moon is attributed to a change in leadership thinking following an executive order signed by President Donald Trump last December. This order outlined the US government's approach to detecting, characterizing, and countering threats to its space interests from low-Earth orbit to cislunar space. The US government is actively considering establishing a fleet of military satellites around the Moon. This development comes as the country and China escalate their lunar programs, with both nations planning crewed missions to the Moon in the near future. As the competition for resources on the Moon heats up, officials are warning that there will be limited opportunities for safe landings, particularly at the south pole where water ice is present. The scarcity of these landing zones has raised concerns about a potential scramble for real estate and resources. General Chance Saltzman, formerly the top general in the US Space Force, emphasized the importance of protecting US interests on the Moon. He noted that while the US will have a role to play, it will not be leading the charge, and instead will be "along for the ride. The General's comments suggest that the US is aware of the potential risks involved in the lunar competition and is taking steps to prepare for them. This includes developing a strategy for detecting and countering threats to its space interests. As the US ramps up its preparations for the lunar frontier, it remains to be seen how this will play out in terms of international cooperation or competition. The US Department of the Air Force has released a request for information (RFI) to assess companies' capabilities in supporting a Cislunar Space System around the Moon. The RFI was published on November 2 and seeks industry input on providing rapid and low-risk solutions to meet government objectives. According to the document, the Cislunar Space System will comprise up to five spacecraft with government-provided payloads, set to launch in late 2029 to support military mission needs. These initial satellites may serve as a starting point for a larger constellation of satellites in cislunar space. The RFI hints at a long-term vision for a proliferated fleet of satellites around the Moon. The five initial spacecraft are described as seed vehicles" that will inform the acquisition strategy for a potential future constellation, suggesting that the military is considering a more extensive presence in lunar orbit. The government plans to award up to five preliminary design study contracts based on market information collected through this RFI and other relevant sources. The Pentagon has set a deadline for responses to its request for market information (RFI) on military satellites around the Moon. Interested parties have until November 24 to submit their proposals. While the exact timeline for awarding contracts is unclear, officials are likely to want deals signed by 2027 to meet their goal of placing satellites in orbit by 2029. This would give them ample time to develop and test the systems within the standard two- to three-year commercial satellite development cycle. The proposed military satellites at the Moon could perform similar functions to those already operating in Earth's orbit, including tracking and characterizing objects in cislunar space, providing navigation and communications services, and conducting surveillance. A joint NASA-DOD mission called Clementine previously discovered water ice at the lunar south pole, marking a significant milestone for the Defense Department's presence on the Moon. This discovery has paved the way for future military-led missions to explore the lunar surface. The Air Force Research Laboratory is leading a mission named Oracle-Mobility, scheduled to launch in mid-2027 and travel towards the Moon. The $75 million mission aims to experiment with techniques for maintaining custody of objects in cislunar space and will be highly mobile as it transits throughout this region. The mission's focus on navigation techniques is crucial for future operational systems in cislunar space. AFRL aims to assess both the strengths and weaknesses of these techniques through this experiment. The organization's website provides insight into the project's goals. A second Oracle mission, Oracle-Prime, is set to be launched by the end of 2027. Its objectives will involve detecting and tracking other satellites as well as debris from a location near Earth-Moon Lagrange Point 1. This strategic position is approximately three-quarters of the way to the Moon. --- Source: [Ars Technica](https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/11/us-military-notionally-interested-in-satellite-constellation-around-moon/) Published by Noti Group: https://noti.group/us-military-considers-deploying-satellites-around-the-moon/