Washington, D.C.: US officials have raised concerns about potential delays in NASA’s Artemis project, especially in light of China’s ambitious plans to land astronauts on the moon within the next decade. Representative Frank Lucas emphasized the need for the US to set a precedent for future lunar activities, expressing worries over China’s pursuit of international partnerships for lunar missions and research stations.
“The country that lands first will have the ability to set a precedent for whether future lunar activities are conducted with openness and transparency, or in a more restricted manner,” stated Lucas, chairman of the Science, Space, and Technology House Committee.
While NASA has announced a delay in its Artemis 2 launch, aiming to send US astronauts around the moon in 2025, concerns linger over the subsequent manned lunar landing, originally scheduled for September 2026. Safety remains a priority, with NASA addressing issues related to the spacecraft’s heat shield, life support system, and emergency ejection system.
Lawmakers expressed unease, highlighting the potential consequences if China surpasses the US in space capabilities by 2045. Despite NASA’s optimism, some, like former NASA chief Mike Griffin, cast doubt on the realistic scheduling of Artemis 3, the landing mission.
As China aims to become a major space power, with plans for a lunar base by 2040, the US faces a competitive landscape in the realm of space exploration.
