The fierce, silent battle among global powers for the Moon’s resources

Four hundred kilometers above our heads, a silent conflict is unfolding. The most effective weapon is the one that leaves no trace.

The world’s major powers are already competing in a gray-zone war over resources in Earth’s orbit and on the Moon. These discreet actions are difficult to attribute, avoiding a formal declaration of war while inflicting small, cumulative damages that could disable an opponent’s satellites and resources.

Russia, China, the United States, India and Japan have learned to fight in space through silent sabotage. Jamming can interfere with or block communications. Cyberattacks can target control centers, while other operations can cut off the energy sources powering hostile satellites. The battle is being waged without projectiles, but its effects could reach everyday life. An induced failure in key satellites could halt ATMs, disrupt power grids, suspend flights and dismantle global supply chains.

Control of Earth’s orbit, however, is only the prelude. The real prize lies on the lunar surface. Massive reserves of polar ice could yield hydrogen and oxygen, turning the Moon into a refueling station for missions across the solar system. Lunar soil also contains rare earths needed for advanced semiconductors used in artificial intelligence algorithms and servers. Helium-3 is presented as a potential prize for clean nuclear fusion and for supplying the enormous data centers demanded by AI.

The contest has divided the world into two camps. The United States and its allies are promoting the Artemis program, which seeks to protect operating zones and open the way for private mining. China and Russia are advancing their joint International Lunar Research Station, aiming to establish it around 2030 and set their own rules for exploiting lunar terrain. The article frames control of lunar minerals and energy as a power that could shape not only the space race, but key parts of digital civilization on Earth.