The Space Review

We Can Build Cities on the Moon�but Who Will Govern Them?

SpaceX has shifted its lunar strategy, announcing plans to build a self‑sustaining city and orbital AI data centers on the Moon within a decade. The move intensifies competition with China, which targets a crewed landing by 2030, prompting the United States to revive Artemis 3 and encouraging other commercial players like Blue Origin to refocus on lunar development. As multiple nations converge on the lunar south pole’s water‑ice resources, the lack of a universal governance framework raises concerns over land rights, resource extraction, and operational safety. Experts argue that early, multilateral norms—potentially led by middle powers such as India and Japan—are critical to ensure peaceful, inclusive lunar activity.