THE NEW SPACE RACE: Military interest in the moon is ramping up.

“Cislunar space has recently become prominent in the space community and warrants attention,” a recent Air Force Research Laboratory document states.

There is growing interest in protecting strategic assets in cislunar space, the realm between Earth and the moon.

The U.S. Space Force is not the only entity engaged in reflecting on the topic of how best to extend military presence far from Earth. Other nations such as China are doing so as well.

Parallel to air, land and sea skirmishes between nations here on Earth, is cislunar space, and perhaps the moon itself, an emerging military “high ground” and new territory for conflict? There’s a variance of views, according to experts Space.com talked to.

Indeed.

Related: America is behind in the new space race China is determined to win.