Who Owns the Moon? The United States and China are already fighting over the territory.

In January 2026, the White House signed a decree that went almost unnoticed. The United States officially extended its military defense perimeter to the Moon. A few weeks later, on April 1, NASA launched Artemis II from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. These two events are not independent. While four astronauts are preparing to fly over the lunar surface, the Pentagon is also keeping a close eye on the Moon but with very different intentions.

China has already landed rovers on its far side, tested satellites in cislunar orbits in 2024, and aims to achieve a manned landing before 2030. Meanwhile, the American Space Force lacks the sensors, doctrine, and personnel to monitor this space. This delay is concerning, and Artemis II is just the beginning of the American response.

For decades, the Moon was seen as a territory for science and exploration, but perceptions have shifted. Since the early 2020s, a growing belief within the American Pentagon sees the cislunar space – the vast region from geosynchronous orbit to the Moon – as a strategic area of interest.

In December 2025, President Trump signed a decree titled “Ensuring American Space Superiority,” making it clear that the United States must be able to detect, characterize, and counter any threat from low Earth orbit to cislunar space. This marked a significant turning point as the White House officially extended the American defense perimeter to the Moon for the first time. The primary concern driving this action is China’s progress in lunar exploration and strategic positioning.

The competition extends beyond technology alone, as Washington fears that Beijing may establish legal, physical, and diplomatic precedents on the Moon before the United States can respond effectively. The potential for China to exploit lunar resources, establish exclusive zones, and influence the entire Earth-Moon system raises concerns about the strategic balance in space.

To address this perceived threat, the Pentagon has initiated several surveillance programs focused on cislunar space. Projects like Oracle, LASSO, and CHPS aim to enhance American capabilities in monitoring the region surrounding the Moon for any potential threats.

While the idea of sending soldiers to the Moon is not on the table, military officials acknowledge the need to protect American interests in space. Technical challenges remain significant, such as the visibility of satellites in lunar orbit and the lack of GPS support in that region.

As both the United States and China ramp up their activities in lunar space, the race to establish rules of engagement and maintain strategic advantages in cislunar space accelerates. The next few years will be crucial in shaping the future of military presence and operations beyond Earth’s atmosphere.