
Framework for In-situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) of lunar water and asteroids.
Credit: Aiden O’Leary/Jason Aspiotis/Booz Allen Hamilton
This week the new United States Space Command officially made its debut, emphasizing that space is a vital military domain – one that’s critical to America’s security and economic wellbeing.

Earth’s Moon and cislunar space looms large in our future. Of what military and intelligence-gathering utility will they serve?
Standing up the command coincides with on-going White House support to establish a Space Force as a separate military branch.
To this end, there is increasing military interest in cislunar space. That’s the region extending beyond Earth to the Moon. Indeed, the protection of trade routes and lines of communication are traditional military responsibilities, and this will continue to be true as cislunar space becomes “high ground” – a position of advantage or superiority.
For more information, read my new Space.com story:
US Military Eyes Strategic Value of Earth-Moon Space
https://www.space.com/us-military-strategic-value-earth-moon-space.html