U.S. and China – Is This The New Space Race?

The 1960s space race is fascinating because of its scientific implications as well the geo-political tensions which drove the USSR and U.S.A to conquer the moon first.

They were both in the midst the Cold War, American fears of a new Cold War. “red moon” The Russians could claim Communism, which prompted NASA and its American partners to push for the United States to reach the moon first.

Fifty years since we last set foot on the moon, NASA has made its first foray back to the moon with November’s launch of Artemis I. Artemis II could not come to pass until 2024 or 2025 because of the bureaucracy of big government, and an outdated approach to getting back to the Moon.

“NASA’s big problem, however, isn’t the fiscal blowback from a decision made out of necessity way back in 2013,” wrote PJ Media’s brilliant and perceptive Vodkapundit last month. “The problem is that NASA… should have torn up every spaceflight and spaceship plan they had back in 2017.”

The problem we’re facing right now is bigger than a lack of interest that could result from a slow-moving space program. The issue is that we’re in a space race where the stakes are potentially higher than they were in the ’60s. It’s not as public as the original space race was, but we’re going toe-to-toe with China.

If you think that sounds dramatic, let’s see what NASA administrator Bill Nelson has to say about it.

For our VIPs: Artemis I Was a Complete Success, but About That Followup Mission…

“It is a fact: we’re in a space race,” Nelson told Politico in an interview. “And it is true that we better watch out that they don’t get to a place on the moon under the guise of scientific research. And it is not beyond the realm of possibility that they say, ‘Keep out, we’re here, this is our territory.’”

China has ambitious plans to reach the Moon by the end of this decade and to build out its infrastructure. “creating a space governance system,” According to Politico.

And don’t think that the Chinese wouldn’t use dominance in space for belligerent purposes. The U.S. military is concerned about this possibility.

“I think it’s entirely possible they could catch up and surpass us, absolutely,” Gen. Nina Armagno of the U.S. Space Force said in November. “The progress they’ve made has been stunning, stunningly fast.”

China “is the only country with both the intent to reshape the international order and increasingly, the economic, diplomatic, military and technological power to achieve that objective,” She added.

“There is potentially mischief China can do on the moon,” Terry Virts, a former astronaut and Air Force colonel, spoke out to Politico. “If they set up infrastructure there they could potentially deny communications, for example. Having them there doesn’t make things easier. There is real concern about Chinese meddling.”

China, on the other hand, insists that “outer space is not a wrestling ground,” but it’s not at all difficult to imagine China using the moon, Mars, or a space station for nefarious purposes, even at a whim. That’s why it’s important for the U.S. to step up its game in this space race.

Congress agreed to most of NASA’s funding requests in the recent budget, but time is more important than money. Nelson states that Artemis II could happen “within two years” And that “hopefully we can speed that up.” What can the Chinese do when we play with the Artemis program for several months?

NASA should collaborate with private space ventures like SpaceX or Blue Origin. Anything that can help China defeat the U.S. will be able to buy time and increase efficiency in its space program. It’s important, and we can’t fall behind.