Space Governance: U.S. Paves the Way for Responsible and Sustainable Cislunar Exploration

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The United States will lead the world in responsible, peaceful, and sustainable exploration and utilization of Cislunar space, including the Moon, consistent with the U.S. Space Priorities Framework. Cislunar space, the three-dimensional region of space beyond Earth’s geosynchronous orbit but still within the gravitational influence of the Earth and/or the Moon, is a new sphere of human activity with diverse endeavors accelerating in the decade ahead. Cislunar space offers tremendous promise for advancing science, technology, and exploration. Humanity’s activities on the Moon remain uniquely inspiring for people around the world. Cislunar space provides opportunities for answering many of the highest priority questions in planetary science, opportunities to explore the history of our Solar System and Sun, a radio-quiet environment that can catalyze a new generation of radio astronomy, the potential for economic growth in space, and a valuable region for testing human exploration technologies and operations to enable crewed exploration to Mars and beyond. U.S. science and technology leadership in Cislunar space will support the responsible, peaceful, and sustainable exploration and use of Cislunar space, including the Moon, by all space-faring nations and entities. The National Cislunar Science & Technology Strategy provides a vision and the first science and technology objectives for realizing U.S. leadership in Cislunar space, including the Moon. Fostering scientific discovery, economic development, and international cooperation are essential to sustaining this leadership. The key objectives of the strategy are:

Objective 1: Support research and development to enable long-term growth in Cislunar space. American technological endeavors begin with a positive, expansive vision of the future, led by a highly diverse science and engineering workforce. The Moon is a driver of scientific advances and potential economic growth. Research and development opportunities in Cislunar space range from novel discoveries in space science to the development of new Cislunar technologies to new breakthroughs in understanding the effects of the space environment on humans.

Objective 2: Expand international S&T cooperation in Cislunar space. International S&T cooperation can foster peace, develop responsible practices, and create the foundations for new institutions to enable enduring human and robotic presence in Cislunar space. New international cooperation can also amplify U.S. objectives being achieved with the Artemis Accords by demonstrating how activities can be carried out for the benefit of and in the interests of all nations, including developing countries, while enhancing transparency and building confidence and cooperation among Moon-faring entities during this important decade for Cislunar development.

Objective 3: Extend U.S. space situational awareness capabilities into Cislunar space. Space situational awareness is the necessary foundation to enable transparency and safe operations for all entities operating in Cislunar space. As activities in Cislunar space increase, the U.S. government will define requirements for new space situational awareness capabilities, including associated reference systems and data-sharing approaches. The United States will pursue new cost-effective capabilities while improving existing capabilities as necessary. This objective has synergies with efforts to provide early warning for potentially hazardous asteroids.

Objective 4: Implement Cislunar communications and positioning, navigation, and timing capabilities with scalable and interoperable approaches. Communications and positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) are the common information infrastructure needed for all activities in Cislunar space, including in Lunar orbit and on the Lunar surface. This objective will ensure that infrastructure deployed for NASA’s Artemis program can also help enable a cooperative and sustainable ecosystem in Cislunar space. Implementing needed Cislunar communications and PNT capabilities with scalable and interoperable approaches can foster new commercial development and lower barriers to entry while advancing responsible and safe spaceflight practices. U.S. Departments and government agencies will leverage and promote the use of commercial services in Cislunar space. This strategy will guide the policymaking process and provide an early common vision for agencies and collaborators to coordinate on Cislunar activities. Any commitment of Federal resources or budget to support this strategy will be determined through the budget process.