U.S. Risks Losing the Moon to China if NASA's Artemis Program Falters, Experts Tell Senate

The U.S. is at risk of ceding its lead in the new space race to China, experts told a Senate Commerce Committee hearing on Wednesday, September 3, raising serious doubts about NASA’s ability to return American astronauts to the Moon before China.

The hearing, titled “There’s a Bad Moon on the Rise,” examined legislative priorities for NASA’s upcoming reauthorization to ensure that the U.S. maintains its leadership in space. The nation’s position is increasingly challenged by China, which has advanced rapidly toward its goal of landing astronauts on the Moon by 2030. Witnesses warned Congress that uncertainty surrounding NASA’s Artemis program—stemming from delays, proposed budget cuts, a lack of unified direction, and other challenges—could cost the U.S. the new space race.

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