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DATE: January 17, 2024

The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies invites you to enjoy the rollout for our newest policy paper: Securing Cislunar Space and the First Island Off the Coast of Earth
by Charles Galbreath, Senior Resident Fellow for Space Studies. He was joined by Thomas A. Lockhart Jr., Director, Capability and Resource Integration, U.S. Space Command, Dr. Joel B. Mozer, former United States Space Force Director of Science, Technology and Research, and Jim Bridenstine, former NASA administrator. The event was moderated by Gen Kevin P. Chilton, USAF (Ret.), Explorer Chair, Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies Spacepower Advantage Center of Excellence (MI-SPACE).

This paper discusses how the United States and China are locked in a race to harness the scientific, economic, and national security benefits related to the exploration of the Moon and the region of space affected by the gravity of both the Earth and Moon, known as the cislunar regime. The USSF and U.S. Space Command must have the capabilities to secure growing interests in this region and help the United States and our allies win the race. Losing means we risk the authoritarian territorial mindset of China becoming the established norm, impeding freedom of operations, and threatening peaceful endeavors, just as we are seeing in the South China Sea.  Modest, early investment is crucial to winning this race and reduces the future need for larger investments to overcome an advantage ceded to China.

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Speakers

Charles GalbreathSenior Resident Fellow for Space Studies at the Mitchell Institute’s Spacepower Advantage Center of Excellence

Thomas A. Lockhart Jr.Director, Capability and Resource Integration, United States Space Command

Dr Joel B. MozerFormer United States Space Force Director of Science, Technology and Research

Jim BridenstineFormer NASA Administrator

Gen Kevin P. Chilton USAF (Ret.)Explorer Chair at the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies Spacepower Advantage Center of Excellence

Media Coverage

• What the Space Force Needs Now For Cislunar Operations
  The Downlink | Defense and Aerospace Report
• The Mitchell Institute Calls for DoD Involvement in Cislunar Development
  Payload
• New report calls for DoD investments in lunar space infrastructure
  SpaceNews
• New Report: Space Force Needs to Plus-Up for Cislunar Competition
  Air & Space Forces Magazine
• Space Force needs more money, people to secure cislunar space: Mitchell Institute
  Breaking Defense
• JUST IN: U.S. Must Win Cislunar Space Race Over China, New Report Says
  National Defense Magazine
• In US-China space race, success depends on lunar landings and orbital ‘parking spots’
  South China Morning Post
• Why the military is integral to America’s return to the moon
  C4ISRNET