NASA Flags China’s 2029 Moon Landing Target as Artemis IV Aims for 2028
Updated
Updated · Benzinga · Jul 6
NASA Flags China’s 2029 Moon Landing Target as Artemis IV Aims for 2028
3 articles · Updated · Benzinga · Jul 6
Summary
China is targeting a 2029 crewed lunar landing, Jared Isaacman said, putting NASA’s Artemis IV plan for 2028 into a tight U.S.-China race measured in months.
Isaacman cast the Moon as a four-and-a-half-day proving ground for deep-space operations, arguing it is the key step before longer missions to Mars.
NASA plans to put a lunar terrain vehicle on the surface in 2028, while Isaacman said the agency is also supplying expertise and other support to Blue Origin.
By the early 2030s, Isaacman said, the Moon could resemble the International Space Station, with extended crew stays, a developing lunar economy and future links to asteroid mining.
With its primary landing system years behind schedule, can NASA realistically beat China to the Moon by 2028?
Is the new space race less about landing first and more about claiming the Moon’s vital water and mineral resources?
Can mining lunar ice and metals truly make a moon base self-sufficient, or is it an unproven dream?
The New Space Race: U.S. and China’s Rivalry for the Moon, Technology, and Global Influence
Overview
The global ambition to return to the Moon has sparked a renewed space race, marked by both collaboration and competition. Major powers like the United States and China are driving this race with ambitious timelines and strategic shifts, aiming to establish a lasting presence on the lunar surface. This rivalry, reminiscent of the original space race that began with Sputnik 1 in 1957, now shapes modern efforts. NASA’s Artemis program, guided by a 2025 executive order, seeks to return Americans to the Moon by 2028 and build a permanent outpost by 2030, emphasizing U.S. leadership and national vision in space exploration.