The US military is exploring a "proliferated cislunar constellation" of up to five spacecraft to be positioned around the Moon, according to a new Request for Information (RFI) released by the Department of the Air Force on November 2. The announcement follows statements from Space Force acquisitions chief **Maj. Gen.
Stephen Purdy about extending military reach to the lunar region. The RFI seeks companies to provide rapid, low-risk solutions to support technical and programmatic objectives in late 2029. The first five satellites may serve as seed vehicles for a potential larger fleet, with up to five spacecraft** carrying government-provided payloads.
Responses are due by November 24, though no commitment has been made yet. Pentagon officials emphasize the military's role is to protect US interests amid growing lunar ambitions from the United States and China. Gen. Chance Saltzman, former top Space Force general, noted the military is "along for the ride" rather than the lead, while **Maj.
Gen. Stephen Purdy** called for more partners to join the "cislunar bandwagon." The vision targets cislunar space — the area around the Moon — to counter threats to US space interests and support robotic missions culminating in crewed lunar landings.
Source: Ars Technica · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing