In an interview with POLITICO, Bill Nelson expressed confidence that the United States could win the moon race. However, he warned that he had no time to waste.
The lunar exploration competition between the United States and China has intensified and could determine who will have the upper hand in the next two years. So says NASA administrator Bill Nelson, who warns that Beijing may try to maintain and dominate the star of the wealthiest area.
“It’s true. We’re having a space race,” the former Florida senator and astronaut said in an interview. And they said, ‘We’re here. This is our domain’ not beyond reach. “
He cited the example of lands in the South China Sea where the Chinese military has established bases on disputed islands.
Nelson’s hawkish comments followed NASA’s 26-day Artemis I mission. The mission, widely considered a success, is the first big step in NASA’s plan to create more sustainable human habitation by landing people on the interstellar system.
It also came shortly after Congress passed NASA’s annual budget. The agency didn’t get all the money it asked for, but Nelson said it didn’t “make enough”. This includes major components for the next two missions, Artemis II and Artemis III.
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But China’s forays into space, including the recent opening of a new space station, are becoming increasingly important. Beijing has announced its goal of landing Tyconut on the moon within 10 years. In December, the Chinese government set out a vision for further efforts, such as developing the region and establishing a space management system.
Slowdowns or major problems in US projects, which rely on new processes and technologies still under development, are likely to leave China. And NASA’s moon landing schedule is already a year ahead of the Trump administration.
In recent years, Beijing has launched crews and passengers to collect lunar samples from the western side of the Moon for the first time, as well as orbiters, landers, and rovers that have reached Mars.
The US military, increasingly concerned about China’s development of space probes that could threaten US satellites, is sounding the alarm over China’s security implications.
“It’s entirely possible they could catch up and overtake us,” Space Force Vice Admiral Nina Armagno said during a visit to Australia last month when China sent its 10-man crew at the Shenzhou space station. . “The steps they’ve made is extremely fast.”
A recent Pentagon report to Congress highlighted recent changes in China’s space program.
He referred to China’s ability not only to first land on the west side of the moon but also to establish communication between Earth and the moon using a satellite launched a year ago.
The report also revealed that China is improving its ability to build space for further human exploration in space.
Some NASA officials are also watching with growing concern. Terry Butts, former director of the International Space Station and Space Station and a retired Navy SEAL, said the contest was for political and security reasons.
According to him, this political movement indicates their work is at the best level. All they require is respect in the world. They want to be the main force in the world, so going to the moon is a way to show that their body works. If they give us six months, it shows that they are better than us. “
But there are real threats to China’s trip to the moon, he added.
Former International Space Station and Terry Butts Ferry Terminal.
Virts says that China can make pranks on the moon. Being there doesn’t make it easy. Chinese involvement raises real concerns. ”
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The CCP government has argued that this motivational concern is unfounded.
Liu Pengyu, a spokesperson for the Central Bank of China in Washington, said: “Some US officials have refused to distort China’s traditional and legal workplaces”, and “China has decided not to accept this message.
“The world is not a race. “The quest and equilibrium of outer space is a human effort and should satisfy everyone. China always promotes peace in outer space, opposes space aggression and the arms race, and works hard to build a community with a shared future for people in the region. “
Regarding Congressional funding for the Artemis program, Nelson confirmed that the US effort to return to the Moon sooner was timely. Congress this week approved $24.5 billion for NASA for the fiscal year 2023, about $500 million less than President Joe Biden had requested.
But it is still up more than 5% from this year. And Nelson said the lunar effort gets what NASA asks for.
“Don’t look at the top line,” he said. “Look at the needs.” For example, Nelson mentioned the ongoing competition for a second manned spacecraft with SpaceX’s human landing system in the form of the Starliner. Nelson told It was started at the suggestion of the president.”
As per the federal report, the moon landing date is indeed near and in the solar zone, there are tons of places that we now think as fine for collecting water.
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He is confident that next month’s mission, Artemis II, can be completed “within two years” and “hopefully we can speed it up”. The mission’s goal is to send a crew into lunar orbit by 2024.
But he said the space agency was under pressure as it was forced to reuse all avionics from the Artemis I capsule for Artemis II as a cost measure.
Because they didn’t build a complete spacecraft for Artemis II, NASA will have to remove the recently returned capsule from each space station and reinstall it on another spacecraft. “It took a long time,” Nelson said. The goal is to fly Artemis II by the end of 2024.
It will then be followed by the flagship Artemis III mission of landing astronauts on the Moon in late 2025. That’s already a year behind the Trump administration’s plan.
“It all depends on two things,” Nelson said. “Scuba Diver, are you ready? And is SpaceX ready? And I ask every day. “What happened with SpaceX? And all of our leaders told me that they had hit all the important points. “
But he is concerned that China is gaining ground and seeing some of the same areas for the moon landing.
China has noticed massive growth in the last decade. The moon landing date is near. And Our solar region has multiple zones to contain water.
When asked if American pilots could return to the Moon before China arrived, Nelson replied, “The Lord will.”
But not everyone believes that Washington and Beijing will go to war.
“I have my doubts,” said Victoria Samson, Washington director of the Secure World Foundation, which focuses on using external sites.
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He noted that China, like the United States, is a party to the Outer Space Treaty, which prohibits states from claiming land on any celestial body, including the moon.
It would also be difficult for any country to manage people for long periods in deep space, he said. “It seems unreal. It will be very difficult. “
But he agreed there would be competition between Washington and Beijing for “landing space and limited resources” on the moon’s surface.
Samson told that there were proclaims about having land to fulfill emergency situation to passengers.
