Lawmakers Panic As They Realize China May Beat the US to the Moon

"During a Senate Commerce Committee hearing this week, experts warned that the United States is at risk of China beating it to the Moon as NASA's Artemis program continues to lag behind. Earlier this month, China's lunar exploration program tested its "Lanyue" lunar lander at a facility outside of Beijing, declaring that it's hoping to land the first Chinese astronauts on the Moon before the end of the decade. That's well within the margin of error of NASA's first crewed landing attempt, Artemis 3,"

"China has also carried out a pad-abort test for its next-gen astronaut capsule and a static fire of its Long March 10 Moon rocket. During this week's hearing, lawmakers emphasized the importance of the US staying competitive in the space race. It's an especially pertinent topic given that NASA is facing brutal budget cuts under Trump, triggering a major outcry and efforts among politicians to rescue the agency."

"The stakes during this decade's race to return to the Moon are substantial, to say the least. "The countries that get there first will write the rules of the road for what we can do on the Moon," aerospace manufacturer Redwire's president of civil and international space, Mike Gold, told the Committee, as quoted by Space.com. While the Trump administration has repeatedly emphasized that its priority is to send astronauts to the Moon and Mars, massive budget cuts have thrown NASA's operations into chaos."

The United States risks being beaten by China to the Moon as NASA's Artemis program falls behind schedule. China tested its "Lanyue" lunar lander and aims to land Chinese astronauts on the Moon before the end of the decade, overlapping NASA's earliest Artemis 3 crewed landing attempt now set for no earlier than mid-2027. China also completed a pad-abort test for a next-generation astronaut capsule and a static fire of the Long March 10 Moon rocket. NASA faces brutal budget cuts under the Trump administration, creating operational chaos and prompting political efforts to rescue the agency. Shifting priorities between administrations undermines multi-decade space programs, and nations that arrive first will shape lunar rules and activities.

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