Houston, we have a problem

America’s bid to return human beings to the moon was just set back by the catastrophic loss during launch of the spacecraft Elon Musk’s SpaceX built for the purpose. Worse yet, it appears increasingly possible that, by the time we’re ready to go back there, the Chinese Communist Party will have declared the place off limits – and be able to enforce it.

The Chinese Communists recently announced they are planning moon missions that will attempt to turn lunar dirt into bricks with which structures can be efficiently and inexpensively built. Inevitably, those will include fortifications.

Chinese panoramic mapping of Mars and growing capabilities to neutralize others’ satellites offer further indications of the scope of what is, at best, Beijing’s inherently “dual-use” space program. At worst, it is a fully militarized one with some civilian applications. 

Houston, we have a problem. 

This is Frank Gaffney.