Fearing Chinese Dominance US Space Force Deploys Moon Troops to Protect Artemis 3
The US Space Force announced today a mission to protect the Artemis 3 lunar landing in 2026 by deploying defense systems and military forces in advance. Using a phased deployment, several launches to the Moon will deliver and deploy surveillance and defensive equipment, a lunar habitat for Space Force personnel, and then actual Space Force troops. The need for this extended mission to the Moon is based on military intelligence analysis exposing China's planned lunar missions and goals to create a lunar supply chain dependency for astronauts on the Moon—China plans to offer cheap manufactured goods for the American lunar market. The Space Force will launch the first set of surveillance systems to the Moon next week, with additional launches to follow next month. Sections of the lunar habitat will launch in early 2025. In late 2025, a specially trained detachment of lunar soldiers will transit to the Moon and begin lunar battle training. This deployment of forces to the Moon is intended to operate as a deterrent to China and India lunar interests. When Artemis 3 lands in 2026, it will be under the protection of the US Space Force. While NASA and the US Space Force have a memorandum of understanding establishing clear boundaries and missions, NASA has argued that this Space Force mission is unnecessary and costly. NASA also whined that it wanted to be first to the Moon (again) and that the Space Force will make them look bad. The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs has lodged a formal protest against the US deployment of armed forces and equipment on the Moon as a violation of the Outer Space Treaty. The United States Ambassador to the United Nations vetoed a sanctions resolution against the US in the UN Security Council.