From the Arctic to the Stars: How U.S. Policy in the High North Signals the Possible Future of Space Strategy
Throughout history, global powers have sought to secure control over uncharted and resource-rich frontiers. The age of European exploration was driven by the desire for trade dominance, the Space Race of the 20th century was fueled by Cold War competition, and now, in the 21st century, a new era of geopolitical strategy is unfolding. The Trump administration’s efforts to expand U.S. influence in the Arctic shouldn’t just be about securing resources or countering Russian and Chinese ambitions—they should act as a larger vision to lay the groundwork for America’s role in space exploration and security.
The Arctic serves as a testbed for governance, logistics, and security in an extreme environment—one that closely resembles the challenges humanity will face when colonizing the Moon, Mars, and beyond. This is what makes the Arctic policy domain a prime blueprint for future space policy.
The Arctic: A Geopolitical Battleground
During the first Trump administration, the United States made a concerted effort to reassert its presence in the Arctic. The Department of Defense released an Arctic Strategy in 2019 that explicitly identified the region as a key area of strategic competition. This policy shift was driven by several key factors:
Resource Competition – The Arctic is rich in oil, natural gas, and critical minerals necessary for modern technology. Similarly, space is viewed as the next frontier for resource extraction, with rare earth minerals on the Moon and asteroid mining on the horizon.
Military and National Security – Russia has heavily militarized its Arctic territories, while China has declared itself a “near-Arctic state" and increased its economic and scientific investments in the region. The first Trump administration countered these moves with an increased U.S. military presence, including plans to refurbish icebreakers and build new military infrastructure. Space presents a similar security challenge, as Russia and China continue to develop anti-satellite weaponry and ambitious lunar exploration programs.
Governance and Law – The Arctic is governed by a complex web of international agreements, with the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the Arctic Council playing key roles. However, much of the region remains a legal gray area when it comes to sovereignty claims and economic rights. Space governance faces similar challenges, with treaties such as the Outer Space Treaty of 1967 struggling to address modern realities like commercial spaceflight, asteroid mining, and lunar colonization. The legal and diplomatic playbook being tested in the Arctic could inform future policies in space.
The Space Parallel: A New Strategic Frontier
The similarities between the Arctic and space extend beyond resources and security. Space, much like the Arctic, is an environment of extremes—freezing temperatures, logistical isolation, and a need for highly specialized infrastructure. The U.S. is already experimenting with Arctic operations that could serve as precursors for off-world activities.
Infrastructure and Logistics: The first Trump administration sought to expand Arctic military bases, upgrade icebreakers, and fund new research stations. These same logistical frameworks—remote bases, extreme weather survival, and supply chain challenges—will need to be perfected for Moon and Mars missions.
Technological Development: The Arctic is a proving ground for autonomous vehicles, advanced survival suits, and off-grid power solutions, all of which will be critical for deep-space missions.
Trump’s Space Policy and the Arctic Connection
It’s no coincidence that during the Trump administration’s first push into the Arctic, there was also an unprecedented focus on space policy. Trump signed Space Policy Directive-1 in 2017, directing NASA to return to the Moon and establish a long-term human presence. This was followed by the Artemis Accords, a framework for international cooperation in lunar exploration that explicitly focuses on resource extraction and governance.
The Arctic and space are both regions where the U.S. faces increasing competition, particularly from China and Russia. Trump's policies in his first administration in both areas suggest a broader strategic alignment—one that sees Arctic expansion as a stepping stone to space dominance.
In particular, Trump's push for rare earth mineral independence is a critical policy move. China currently controls the majority of the world's rare earth supply, and the Arctic represents one of the few places where the U.S. could develop its own reserves. Similarly, the Moon is believed to have vast stores of Helium-3 and other valuable minerals. Establishing U.S. dominance in Arctic mining could be a trial run for similar operations in space.
Why This Matters for the Future
Trump’s Arctic strategy isn’t just about countering Russia and China—it is about staking an American claim in a region that is becoming geopolitically and economically invaluable. One of the boldest moves was the 2019 suggestion that has re-emerged in this second Trump administration to purchase Greenland, a proposal that was widely mocked but has deep strategic implications. Greenland is rich in rare earth minerals, has a prime geographic position for Arctic security, and houses Pittufik Air Base (formerly Thule Air Base)—America’s northernmost military installation and a key part of U.S. missile defense and space monitoring operations.
Interest in Greenland signals a broader realization: controlling territories with access to untapped resources and strategic locations will define the future of global power. This same logic should apply to space. The Moon, much like Greenland, is seen as a critical location for both security and resource extraction.
As with the Arctic, the U.S. will face legal, diplomatic, and military challenges in securing its interests in space. Just as the U.S. seeks to expand Arctic claims through Greenland, it should now look to solidify territorial influence in space through partnerships and policy maneuvers.
Conclusion: A Blueprint for the Future
The Trump administration's Arctic ambitions—particularly its interest in Greenland—should not just be about securing immediate economic or military advantages. They should act as a test run for the kind of geopolitical maneuvering that will become essential in space. The logic behind trying to acquire Greenland is the same logic that will drive future debates about who gets to claim lunar territory, Martian colonies, and asteroid mining rights.
The Arctic and space share a common theme: they are both extreme, untamed frontiers where those who arrive first and build the right infrastructure will dominate the future. The U.S. military already uses Greenland’s Pittufik Air Base for space surveillance, and similar installations on the Moon or Mars could play a role in securing American dominance in the next great geopolitical battleground.
If Trump’s Arctic strategy is about claiming resources, building infrastructure, and countering adversarial advances, then his space policy should simply be an extension of that mindset. What happens in the Arctic today—whether it’s establishing military bases, securing supply chains, or negotiating resource access—can provide a clear roadmap for how the U.S. should approach space exploration and security in the decades ahead.
Laying the groundwork for space policy by using Artic policy as a framework now will ensure the United States secures and maintains space dominance in an arena that is quickly moving from science fiction to science reality. The days of relying on vague mutual cooperation as was the case with early Arctic and space exploration are over. Embracing the reality of advanced weapons technology and new domains of warfighting is required for future legislators and policy makers.
