Arlington, VA | May 22, 2026 — The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies is pleased to announce a new entry in its Policy Paper series, Military Human Spaceflight: A Key Component to U.S. Space Superiority, by Col Kyle Pumroy, USSF (Ret.), Senior Resident Fellow for Space Studies at the Mitchell Institute Spacepower Advantage Center of Excellence.

The United States and China are engaged in an enduring competition for leadership in space. China’s military-led space habitation and lunar ambitions have maintained a consistency of purpose with goals that execute on schedule. Their plans for manned lunar stations and control of lunar territory must be viewed as credible. In contrast, the U.S. human spaceflight and Moon programs have been marred by inconsistency in vision, policy, and funding, allowing China to gain steady ground over time. This disparity, paired with China’s consistent use of belligerent force to assert territorial dominance, is concerning.

A pragmatic pathway for developing Guardian spaceflight capabilities is essential for long-term space superiority. It should center on leveraging the Space Test Course (STC) and advancing partnerships with NASA and the growing commercial market. LEO space stations will serve as the proving ground for Guardian development of national defense requirements related to space habitation. Embarking on such a program will accelerate industrial innovation and preserve American leadership in the space domain.

The Mitchell Institute Policy Papers is a series that presents new thinking and policy proposals to address the emerging security, airpower, and spacepower challenges of the 21st century. These papers are written for lawmakers and their staffs, policy professionals, business and industry, academics, journalists, and the informed public.

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Copies of Policy Papers can be downloaded at https://mitchellaerospacepower.org/category/publications/