---
title: "Military Report Says Space Force Must Prepare for Moon Warfare"
description: "A new report by the Air Force Research Laboratory suggests that the Space Force should prepare to treat the Moon and cislunar space as a military domain."
date: "2021-06-25"
modified: "2021-06-25"
authors:
  - name: "Dan Robitzski"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/danrobitzski"
url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/military-space-force-moon-warfare"
categories:
  - "Astronomy"
  - "Military"
  - "Moon"
  - "Science & Energy"
  - "Space"
  - "Space Force"
tags:
  - "military"
  - "moon"
  - "space force"
  - "the digest"
---

# Military Report Says Space Force Must Prepare for Moon Warfare

![A new report by the Air Force Research Laboratory suggests that the Space Force should prepare to treat the Moon and cislunar space as a military domain.](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/MoonWar.jpg>)
*\<em\>Image: Futurism\</em\>*

## Moon Warfare

When former reality TV star and US president Donald Trump formed a new branch of the military called the Space Force, it wasn't exactly clear what it would accomplish or how its existence would [impact existing peace treaties](<https://futurism.com/space-force-arms-race>) that prevent military activity in space.

For better or worse, we now seem to be approaching some answers — and [according to a new report](<https://www.afrl.af.mil/Portals/90/Documents/RV/A%20Primer%20on%20Cislunar%20Space_Dist%20A_PA2021-1271.pdf?ver=vs6e0sE4PuJ51QC-15DEfg%3d%3d>) by the Air Force Research Laboratory's (AFRL) Space Vehicles Directorate (SVD), the time has come for the Space Force to treat the Moon and the surrounding area as a new militarized front.

The report, which is comprised of a series of recommendations by industry and academic experts, argues that the military needs to [expand its reach](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/space-force-satellite-enemy-missiles>) beyond Earth, [according to *SpaceNews*](<https://spacenews.com/report-space-force-has-to-prepare-for-operations-beyond-earths-orbit/>), as both governmental and private space programs continue to grow.

## New Domain

The AFRL has been a longtime advocate for expanding military research and technology programs into cislunar space, the region of space that falls at or within the Moon's orbit, according to *SpaceNews*. The new report now takes things a step further by predicting a future in which the Moon itself becomes the stage for military operations — especially as missions to the Moon become increasingly common.

"Operating spacecraft beyond geosynchronous Earth orbit poses unique challenges," SVD director and Air Force Colonel Eric Felt said in a statement provided to *SpaceNews*. "As commerce extends to the moon and beyond, it is vital we understand and solve those unique challenges so that we can provide space domain awareness and security."

**READ MORE:** [Report: Space Force has to prepare for operations beyond Earth’s orbit](<https://spacenews.com/report-space-force-has-to-prepare-for-operations-beyond-earths-orbit/>) \[*SpaceNews*\]

**More on the militarization of space:** *[Progressive Groups Call For Elimination of Space Force](<https://futurism.com/progressive-groups-elimination-space-force>)*

## Author
Dan Robitzki is a senior reporter for Futurism, where he likes to cover AI, tech ethics, and medicine. He spends his extra time fencing and streaming games from Los Angeles, California.

### Author social links  
[Twitter](<https://x.com/danrobitzski>)