A new study by the Center for Strategic and International Studies details a number of serious obstacles to cislunar operations, from a lack of robust business cases to the literal fabric of time.
"Failure to conduct sustainable and transparent operations in an environment with a growing number of players may lead to conflict if careless behavior or unannounced proximity operations are interpreted as hostile acts," says Aerospace Corp.'s James Vedda.
Knowing when to build on commercial systems and when to develop something new can be the difference between parity and information dominance.
Lt. Gen. David Thompson, vice commander of the Space Force, said "someday" the Space Force mission will "extend to the Moon, to Mars, and beyond" -- likely "within the 30-year plan."