America must stop treating China’s lunar plans as a footrace – Their lunar program is the first move of a decades-long plan, not an isolated stunt.
America must stop treating China’s lunar plans as a footrace
America must stop treating China’s lunar plans as a footrace – Their lunar program is the first move of a decades-long plan, not an isolated stunt.
America must stop treating China’s lunar plans as a footrace
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From the article
China’s first lunar landing with taikonauts will be a powerful propaganda moment. It will be perceived globally as a sign of technological ascendancy and American hesitation. But that moment is a red herring. The real contest is not over who repeats in 2026 what the U.S. did in 1969. The real contest is over who builds the lasting presence, controls the critical regions between Earth and moon and on the lunar surface and who establishes the infrastructure that enables long-term economic and strategic advantage.
Beating China to get that first “look what we did” flag and footprints selfie is as short-sighted as any other Tik-Tok moment.
The Chinese Communist Party understands this. Their lunar program is the first move of a decades-long plan, not an isolated stunt. China intends to:
* Access and control critical resources at the lunar poles, including water ice that can be converted into fuel.
* Construct long-duration surface habitats and power systems.
* Establish transportation and logistics lines extending from Earth orbit into deep space.
* Shape the norms and expectations for how the Solar System will be used for the next century and beyond.
This is not a “race.” It is a campaign of long-term strategic positional advantage.
From what I’ve seen, China’s been pretty good about planning and sticking with some ambitious goals with relative success. I really wish we had strategic thinking in leadership.
Looks like there will be a “Red Mars” after all. I hope this spawns another space race. I imagine people in the US would be pretty upset if by resting on their laurels, the communists beat them to another planet.
Our vice president seems to think they like live in huts, so…
Honest question because I don’t keep up with the Chinese space program nearly to the extent I do the American space program- what is their concept/architecture for transporting the equipment necessary to building a lasting presence on the moon?
>>An **American-led** lunar industrial community — featuring nuclear and solar power sources, human and AI leveraged robotics, mining, manufacturing, research and growth oriented habitation — would reshape global expectations, **strengthen alliances**,
Who in the rest of the world wants this any more though?
Europe is the MAGA people’s new enemy. They want to destroy the EU, and invade Danish territory (Greenland). Canada should be taken over & cease to be an independent country. Being “led” by America is rapidly going out of fashion.
Meanwhile the US is run by low-IQ dimwits until 2028, who get put in jobs because they look good on TV or are good at kissing orange arses. These people haven’t got the brains or competence for the job.
Will the private sector do it? The guy who runs SpaceX is great at making big bold claims, not so good at following up on them, so I wouldn’t hold my breath.
And starship is the first move to put the first humans on Mars.
We get it, ULA, you want the lunar landar. No body cares, stop spamming articles all over the innernet
The world power is shifting toward Asia. If China land on the moon first, it will only confirm what we are already seeing. The US is in decline, China is the future.
When you say “must”, what does that actually mean? Because on a scale of necessity, the competitive space race between us and china is maybe in the “Recommended rather highly” area without being a must-do. At least at this point…
To say America is treating it as a foot race is being extremely generous. We’re too busy with torturing brown people and trans people to be bothered with things like science and technology.
America is not treating the Chinese lunar program in any way, the US achieved what China is trying to do very long ago. Today, the US is still far ahead, launching ~95% of the payload to orbit.
That said, competition is a marvelous thing, always resulting in better outcome for everyone. If a second country with serious space capabilities emerges, that will be fine.
I’m sorry. But the US has more important things to deal with like trans sports and gay marriage.
/s
This is China’s century of progress, America’s century of shame.
“Sorry, America can’t take your call right now as we are otherwise preoccupied a bit. If you leave your name and address, an ICE agent will be along shortly!”
SpaceX already makes more in profit (largely from Starlink) than the entire NASA budget. If they do an IPO, their coffers will nearly explode with money.
NASA should ditch SLS, focus heavily on developing modules and plans for lunar infrastructure, and let SpaceX get them there.