The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) is set to launch a new technology challenge next month, a strategic initiative designed to accelerate the development of systems capable of operating effectively beyond geosynchronous orbit (GEO). This project, spearheaded by SpaceWERX—the U.S. Space Force’s innovation arm—is named “Cislunar Prime.” Its primary goal is to identify and integrate commercial capabilities that can propel the Space Force toward establishing robust operations within the vast and challenging cislunar region.
Cislunar space is defined by the Space Force as the expansive area extending from just beyond Earth’s geosynchronous orbit all the way to the Moon and potentially beyond. This region encompasses a staggering volume, approximately 1,728 times larger than the space contained within GEO. Such immense distances and the unique gravitational dynamics of the Earth-Moon system present significant challenges for satellite operations, particularly in crucial areas such as positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT), and space domain awareness (SDA). These conditions are markedly different from the relatively stable environments closer to Earth, requiring entirely new technological approaches.
SpaceWERX’s Cislunar Prime initiative specifically seeks innovative commercial solutions across three critical focus areas:
- Space Domain Awareness (SDA):This involves the comprehensive understanding of objects, activities, and events in space. In cislunar space, the sheer volume, distance, and the presence of natural celestial bodies make tracking and identifying objects far more complex than in Earth’s immediate vicinity. Enhanced SDA is vital for monitoring potential threats, managing space traffic, and ensuring the safety and security of assets.
- Cislunar Communications:Reliable and high-bandwidth communication links are essential for controlling spacecraft, transmitting data, and enabling human operations. Current communication infrastructure is largely designed for operations closer to Earth. Extending robust communication networks into cislunar space requires overcoming extreme distances, potential signal attenuation, and ensuring continuous connectivity amidst lunar occultations and other environmental factors.
- Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT):Accurate PNT is fundamental for autonomous operations, rendezvous, docking, and precise maneuverability of spacecraft. While GPS and similar systems provide excellent PNT near Earth, their efficacy diminishes significantly in cislunar space. Developing independent or enhanced PNT capabilities tailored for this distant region is crucial for mission success and precise orbital mechanics.
According to an AFRL spokesperson, the tentative schedule for Cislunar Prime outlines an official announcement in December, followed by a solicitation for proposals in January. Contract awards are anticipated to begin in the spring of the upcoming year. The program has allocated a substantial budget of $30 million, which will be used to fund 15 direct-to-phase-two Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contracts. Each of these contracts is valued at $2 million. The SBIR program is designed to stimulate technological innovation from small businesses, and a “direct-to-phase-two” approach indicates a focus on more mature technologies that have already demonstrated feasibility, allowing for quicker progression to prototyping and deployment.
The strategic importance of this endeavor was underscored by Maj. Gen. Stephen Purdy, the Portfolio Acquisition Executive for Advanced Programs, during his address at AFCEA’s Space Industry Days conference on October 21. Purdy articulated the inherent difficulties of operating in cislunar space, stating, “Space is often described as hard and difficult and a fight that we’re not seeing. But I would characterize cislunar as even harder and more difficult, and we really don’t see what’s going on in that arena.” His comments highlight a critical gap in current operational understanding and capabilities in this nascent domain.
The Space Force has already initiated several projects exploring cislunar operations. Among these is AFRL’s Oracle program, which is scheduled to launch its first satellite in December. Oracle serves as a pathfinder mission, designed to demonstrate efficient cislunar mobility, navigation, and space domain awareness capabilities. Over the past year, there has been a noticeable acceleration in the service’s cislunar research and development activities. This increased urgency is partly driven by the evolving geopolitical landscape, particularly China’s stated ambitions and ongoing efforts to establish a significant presence beyond GEO and on the lunar surface.
General Purdy further elaborated on a significant shift in the Pentagon’s strategic posture regarding cislunar operations and planning over the last year. He cited a December 2025 executive order from then-President Donald Trump, which emphasized the strategic importance of cislunar operations. More recently, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine publicly acknowledged cislunar space as a “warfighting domain” during AFA’s Air, Space, and Cyber Conference in September. These high-level pronouncements signify a formal recognition of cislunar space as an area of national security interest and potential future conflict, necessitating a proactive and rapid development of capabilities.
In line with this accelerated timeline, the Space Force aims to swiftly fund satellites and software that could be ready for operational deployment as early as 2029. Beyond the Cislunar Prime initiative, the Space Force, through its newly established Cislunar Coordination Office, plans to issue two additional requests for information (RFIs). The first RFI will focus on identifying existing cislunar hardware and software solutions that could be deployed within the next two to three years. The second RFI will seek advanced capabilities in artificial intelligence (AI) and autonomous processing, crucial for managing complex operations in a dynamic and distant environment with minimal human intervention.
General Purdy emphasized the immediate nature of these solicitations, stating, “We’re looking for existing commercial or near-commercial means, non-developmental solutions, hardware with actual relevant evidence behind it, software that doesn’t need a huge amount of work…and ground systems. This isn’t a four- or five-year science project. This is about getting capability out soon.” This directive underscores a clear preference for mature, proven technologies that can be rapidly adapted and integrated, rather than investing in long-term developmental research, reflecting the urgency of securing a strategic advantage in this critical new frontier.
Why This Matters
The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory’s Cislunar Prime initiative marks a critical strategic pivot for the United States in the rapidly evolving domain of space. This endeavor is not merely about scientific exploration; it represents a proactive and urgent effort to establish foundational capabilities in an area of space that is increasingly recognized as vital for national security and economic prosperity. The cislunar region, extending from Earth’s geosynchronous orbit to the Moon and beyond, holds immense strategic value due to its potential for resource extraction, scientific discovery, and as a new operational theater for both civilian and military activities.
The initiative’s focus on Space Domain Awareness (SDA), cislunar communications, and Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) directly addresses the core challenges of operating in this vast and complex environment. Without robust SDA, the ability to track objects, identify threats, and ensure safe operations is severely hampered. Reliable communications are essential for mission control and data transfer, while accurate PNT is fundamental for navigation, rendezvous, and precision maneuvers. The absence of these capabilities would leave any nation at a significant disadvantage in future cislunar operations, whether for peaceful or military purposes.
The decision to leverage commercial capabilities through direct-to-phase-two Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contracts underscores a strategic shift towards rapid acquisition and integration of mature technologies. This approach aims to bypass lengthy traditional defense procurement cycles, allowing the Space Force to quickly adapt innovative solutions developed by the private sector. This reflects a recognition that commercial space advancements are often faster and more agile than traditional government programs, offering a path to accelerate capability development and deployment by 2029.
Furthermore, this initiative is deeply intertwined with geopolitical competition. China’s stated ambitions and ongoing efforts to establish a significant presence in cislunar space and on the Moon are a driving force behind the U.S. Space Force’s accelerated timeline. By declaring cislunar space a “warfighting domain,” the Pentagon is signaling that it views this region as a potential arena for future conflict, necessitating a robust and pre-emptive defensive and operational posture. The ability to operate effectively and maintain a strategic advantage in cislunar space could determine future geopolitical influence and security.
Ultimately, Cislunar Prime is more than just a technology challenge; it’s a foundational step towards securing critical national interests in an emerging frontier. It will foster innovation, create new commercial opportunities, and, most importantly, lay the groundwork for the United States to maintain leadership and ensure security in the vast and increasingly contested cislunar domain. The success of these efforts will have long-term implications for global space governance, economic development beyond Earth, and the balance of power in the 21st century.