The Second Space Race: Russia, India, China, and the U.S. Embark on a Journey to the Lunar South Pole

 

Unmanned Russian and Indian space vehicles are poised for potential touchdown in the vicinity as early as the upcoming week, as parallelly the United States strives to achieve a crewed lunar landing at the same site by the year 2025.

The race for space has been reignited, this time with a broader array of nations vying for supremacy.

Almost sixty years after the intense rivalry between the Soviet Union and the United States in the race to reach the lunar surface, a fresh competition has emerged. This contemporary endeavor is centered on the lunar south pole, a region where scientific investigations have unveiled indications of water ice.

Just last week, Russia launched its inaugural spacecraft destined for a moon landing, marking its first such mission in 47 years; the spacecraft is anticipated to touch down in the designated region in the imminent days. Notably, India is trailing close behind, aiming to execute its own landing operation on August 23rd.

In parallel, the United States is diligently pursuing its ambition to claim the title of the first nation to successfully land astronauts at this lunar site. A crewed mission, meticulously planned for 2025, is a testament to their determination. Concurrently, China is charting its course for lunar exploration, with plans for both crewed and uncrewed missions to the same destination prior to the decade's end.

The allure of this region lies in the potential utility of its water reserves as rocket fuel. Furthermore, the presence of water ice has ignited discussions about the establishment of a sustained lunar base, potentially serving as a launching platform for missions to Mars and beyond.

During an interview, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson underlined the challenges of the chosen site compared to the location of the historic 1969 moon landing. He emphasized that the lunar south pole is characterized by a terrain punctuated with profound craters. Unlike the well-lit conditions witnessed during the landing of Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, the majority of these craters remain in constant darkness due to the angle of sunlight, substantially restricting the viable landing and utilization areas.

"The south pole of the moon is pockmarked with deep craters. And because of the angle of the sun coming in, most of those craters are in total darkness the entire time, so it lessens the amount of area that you can actually land on and utilize," he explained.

"If indeed we find water in abundance there, that could be utilized for future crews and spacecraft," Nelson remarked.

NASA is gearing up for a return to the lunar surface through the upcoming Artemis II mission in the following year. This mission will involve astronauts orbiting the moon as a precursor to the planned landing in 2025.

Nelson extended his well-wishes to Russia for its mission, acknowledging the longstanding history of collaboration between the two nations in the realm of space exploration.

Nonetheless, there exists a potential shadow aspect to this lunar competition if the United States fails to secure its position as the first to land astronauts in the targeted region. Nelson expressed apprehensions about China potentially asserting territorial claims if it reaches the destination before others.

"I don’t want China to get to the south pole first with humans and then say, 'This is ours; stay out,'" Nelson cautioned. He emphasized that the United States is a participant in a multinational agreement focused on the equitable sharing of space resources, a stance not shared by China.

"I believe the real space race is unfolding between us and China, and we must safeguard the interests of the global community," Nelson asserted.