Washington – The US Department of the Air Force is seeking industry proposals to develop up to five military spacecraft capable of carrying 2,000 kg payloads into cislunar space, the region between Earth and the Moon. The first spacecraft are targeted for launch by late 2029 under the proposed Cislunar Space System (CSS) programme.
An updated Request for Information (RFI), posted on November 13, 2026, outlines plans to use the initial five spacecraft as demonstration platforms before potentially developing a larger cislunar satellite constellation. Companies must submit responses of no more than 15 pages by November 24, 2026. The Air Force plans to award up to five preliminary design study contracts, with work expected to begin between January and March 2027. Initial system operations are targeted for 2031.
Spacecraft Requirements and Capabilities
Each spacecraft must accommodate a government-provided payload weighing up to 2,000 kg, with dimensions of up to 3 metres long and 1 metre in height and width. It must provide at least 1 kW of power, with 3 kW as the preferred target.
The spacecraft must have a minimum design life of three years and carry sufficient propellant and consumables for five years of operations. They must also operate autonomously for at least 72 hours without ground contact, support station-keeping and orbital manoeuvres using multidirectional thrusters, and include automated safe-mode recovery systems.
The required operating environments include Earth-Moon transfer trajectories, libration-point orbits, resonant orbits and low-energy trajectories extending to the Sun-Earth L1 and L2 points, approximately 1.5 million kilometres from Earth.
The RFI also asks companies about their experience with Super Intelligence (SI) and advanced onboard computing for extended autonomous spacecraft operations. The system must include NSA Type 1 encryption.
Existing Satellite Designs and Launch Plans
The Air Force is prioritising commercially available, flight-proven technology to reduce development risks and costs. Companies must propose spacecraft buses that have flown within the previous three years or can complete assembly and testing within the next 24 months.
Launches will use government-provided National Security Space Launch (NSSL) rockets. The Air Force also wants compact, stackable spacecraft designs that allow multiple satellites to fit inside a single rocket fairing.
Related US Military Cislunar Programmes
The proposed CSS programme builds on existing US military research into deep-space operations. In April 2026, the US Space Force established a Cislunar Coordination Office to develop a technology roadmap for operations beyond Earth's conventional satellite orbits.
The Air Force Research Laboratory's Oracle programme is another major effort. Its smaller Oracle-Mobility spacecraft is targeted for a mid-2027 launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy, while the larger Oracle-Prime spacecraft is aiming for readiness by the end of 2027.
The Space Force is also developing Cislunar Prime, a $30 million technology initiative focused on space domain awareness, deep-space communications and positioning, navigation and timing (PNT). A separate RFI issued in November seeks artificial intelligence and machine-learning software for autonomous cislunar spacecraft operations, with responses due December 4, 2026.
The new Cislunar Space System RFI represents a move towards developing operational military capabilities in the region between Earth and the Moon. However, it is currently an industry information request, not a production contract or confirmed satellite procurement. The Air Force has also warned that companies that do not respond may lose the opportunity to participate in subsequent acquisition phases.
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