Pentagon considers fleet of military satellites around the Moon
The US military has published a request for information asking companies about a possible constellation of satellites around the Moon. The first phase would involve up to five spacecraft, due by late 2029.
The US Department of the Air Force, which oversees the Space Force, posted a Request for Information (RFI) on a federal procurement website on November 2, signaling interest in a military satellite constellation near the Moon. The document refers to a "Cislunar Space System" in the region between Earth and the Moon. It suggests the Pentagon is weighing a presence beyond geostationary orbit, where its most distant satellites operate today.
What the request says
The RFI asks companies to describe their ability to deliver "rapid" and "low-risk" solutions for the government's technical and programmatic objectives. It says the system would consist of up to five spacecraft, each carrying a government-provided payload, to meet military mission needs in late 2029. The specific mission is not described.
The first five satellites may serve as "seed vehicles" informing the acquisition strategy for a larger future constellation. The government intends to award up to five firm fixed-price preliminary design study contracts. Responses are due by November 24, and the document does not commit the military to signing final contracts.
Policy background
Maj. Gen. Stephen Purdy, the Space Force's acquisitions chief for advanced programs, said in October that Pentagon leaders now describe the Moon as a warfighting domain. Last December, President Donald Trump signed an executive order on space policy that includes the ability to detect and counter threats to US space interests out to cislunar space. Officials stress that the military's role is to protect US interests as the United States and China expand their lunar programs.
Missions already planned
The Air Force Research Laboratory leads the $75 million Oracle-M mission, scheduled to launch in mid-2027 to test navigation techniques and object tracking in cislunar space. A second mission, Oracle-Prime, is expected to be ready by the end of 2027 and would track other satellites and debris from near the Earth-Moon Lagrange Point 1.
