The Moon has become the new focus of an international rivalry. The US and China are locked in a race to launch manned missions to the Moon. This rivalry is intensifying with plans for both countries to establish permanent bases on the Moon, and the US is reportedly in danger of losing the race. Former NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine has stated that if current conditions remain unchanged, the US will be overtaken by China.

China Could Take the Lead in the Space Race

Similar to the space race once held between the US and the Soviet Union, the US and China are now striving to reach the Moon. In addition to manned lunar missions, both countries are planning to build nuclear reactors on the Moon.

Being first in this endeavor is of great strategic importance, as the first to land and establish a base on the Moon will have the right to keep other countries out of those regions. This is causing the US to accelerate its efforts to reach the Moon before China.

However, according to former NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine, this effort alone is not enough. Invited to the US Senate to speak, Bridenstine stated, “If things don’t change, China will reach the Moon before us.”

Bridenstine, one of the architects of NASA’s Artemis Mission, points to the challenges facing this mission. The former president noted that in addition to the NASA budget cuts during Donald Trump’s administration, SpaceX’s design for this mission was also problematic.

The rocket developed by SpaceX for the Artemis mission needs to be refueled in low Earth orbit. Bridenstine describes SpaceX’s approach as “very problematic” and “not very logical.”

Bridenstine also says that the Gateway Project, which the White House once considered canceling, must continue. This project aims to establish a small space station in lunar orbit and use it by countries planning manned missions to the Moon.

The US will test the SLS (Space Launch System) launch system and the Orion spacecraft with crews on the Artemis II mission. If this test is successful, the Artemis III mission is expected to land astronauts on the Moon in mid-2027. The Gateway Station is scheduled to be operational in 2028.