The race for the future of the Moon

The Artemis II mission isn't just about science and exploration. It's also part of a crucial space race between the U.S. and China. Sometimes, a major space mission like Artemis II can seem like a unifying moment for humanity. After all, what better way to remind us of our shared humanity than in the cold, indifferent cosmos? However, humanity's efforts in space have always been entangled with the politics of humanity on Earth. In this issue, my colleague Selam Gebrekidan, an investigative reporter focused on the Chinese space program, offers a reminder about Artemis II: however impressive it may be, this isn't a mission to unite humanity. In fact, it's actually part of a decisive space race between the United States and China. -- Alicia Wittmeyer A New Space Race Like many around the world, I watched the launch of Artemis II this week with the joy and excitement of a child. This is the first time humans have headed to the Moon in over 50 years. The four astronauts won't set foot on the Moon, but they will be able to see its far side, the hemisphere that always faces away from us. If all goes well, they will travel farther than any human has ever traveled from Earth. And if everything goes very, very well, American astronauts will return to the Moon in 2028. From then on, NASA plans to launch missions every six months and maintain a presence there. This is an important moment for NASA. The agency had the opportunity to showcase its new rocket, the Space Launch System, which propelled the astronauts into space without a hitch. NASA will continue testing its Orion spacecraft, which has performed well so far, except for a minor issue with its toilet, which you can read about in Spanish. It is also a show of strength for the space agency at a crucial time, as the United States finds itself in the midst of another space race. This one is with China, not the Soviet Union. And “this time the goal isn’t to leave flags and footprints,” NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said last week. “This time the goal is to stay.” Chinese astronauts are aiming for a first moon landing in 2030—theoretically, many months after the United States. But the Artemis program has been stumbling, while the Chinese space program has advanced with formidable discipline. Even NASA acknowledges it could lose this round. “They could get there early,” Isaacman said. “And recent history suggests we could be late.” A New Frontier The United States’ plans for the moon are far more ambitious than in the Apollo era. So are China’s. Both countries want to build a base near the south pole, where they can extract resources like water ice, hydrogen, and helium. Both want to build nuclear reactors to power their lunar bases. Both want to launch missions from the moon and venture further into space. Whoever establishes a lunar base first will likely have greater influence over what others can do on the Moon, which, for now, is a frontier with few laws or regulations. Take the issue of long-term energy sources, for example. Last year, NASA issued a directive to accelerate its plans to install nuclear reactors on the Moon (read about this project in Spanish), in part because if China, along with Russia, builds a reactor first, "they could declare an exclusion zone," said Sean Duffy, the Secretary of Transportation who temporarily led NASA. The Chinese space program is still young. However, it has accomplished a great deal in a short time. Its robotic missions have gone to the far side of the Moon and brought back samples—feats only the Chinese have achieved. The experts I spoke with said that China's advantage in the space arena lies in its centralized control. The country can set goals years in advance, fund its projects, and meet milestones on time. NASA's budgets and objectives are constrained by U.S. domestic policy. China’s pace of work will be the same regardless of what NASA does with Artemis, a scientist working on the lunar program told me. A Human, Not Just Political, Concern The United States’ short-term goals for the Moon are ambitious: having already sent people to the Moon, the country hopes to send astronauts to the south pole, where no human has ever gone before. China’s immediate goals are more attainable. The country’s first lunar landing will be on the near side of the Moon, the region where Neil Armstrong took “one giant leap for mankind” in 1969. Even if NASA were to lose this round, it wouldn’t determine the final outcome of this new space race. It will be some time before the United States or China can establish a sustained presence on the Moon; a few crewed missions are unlikely to be enough to realize either country’s grand ambitions. But they will set the tone for who appears poised for dominance. And this is a race in which the rest of the world also has a lot at stake. Realistically, most other countries won't be actively involved. Some dream of the Moon—India landed a rover near the south pole, and Russia has its Luna program—but it's likely that the United States or China will define its future. However, other countries won't be mere passive observers: Canada has an astronaut aboard the Artemis II mission. Others are sending scientific instruments, both on the Chinese and American missions. The relationships that shape geopolitics on Earth could end up defining science in space. But beyond that, this is a race over who claims control of Earth's natural satellite. That makes it a human issue, not just a geopolitical one. We all have something at stake in the future of the Moon. (Read my article on China's lunar ambitions.) WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING Trump fires his attorney general President Donald Trump had been unhappy with Attorney General Pam Bondi for months, especially over her handling of the Epstein files, which have become a political liability for Trump. Bondi's firing on Thursday ended a turbulent 14-month tenure in which she desperately tried to appease a boss who demanded control of the Justice Department to conduct politically motivated investigations. 'Perhaps we shouldn't talk every day' French President Emmanuel Macron bluntly criticized Trump on Thursday for repeatedly changing his objectives regarding the war against Iran. He also said that Trump's anger toward NATO was pointless. "When we're serious, we don't say the opposite every day of what we said the day before, and perhaps we shouldn't talk every day," Macron told reporters in South Korea during a trip to Asia. "We just need to calm things down and build a lasting peace." During a televised address on Wednesday, Trump threatened to bomb Iran "back to the Stone Age" and reiterated that he would attack the country's infrastructure unless a deal was reached. But he offered no clear exit strategy. Read the key points of his message, in Spanish. The markets: Read in Spanish about how the price of oil rose and the stock market fell after Trump's speech. Reaction: Iranian commanders and officials issued defiant statements. OTHER NEWS TOPICS * Russia will send another oil tanker to Cuba. The White House declined to say whether it would allow the ship to dock. MORE IN ENGLISH * Authorities are investigating whether an air traffic controller stepped off the plane to use an emergency phone just before the fatal crash of an Air Canada plane at a New York airport. * Pope Leo XIV returned to tradition and washed the feet of priests on Holy Thursday. * The rapper formerly known as Kanye West performed his first full concert in the United States since 2021, following years of antisemitic behavior. * Everyone read it: In yesterday's newsletter, the most visited link was about a letter from the president of Iran addressed to Americans. SPORTS World Cup: The president of the Italian Football Federation resigned after the country failed to qualify for the 2026 tournament. Kylian Mbappé: Can the national team captain lead France to World Cup glory? TECH TIP OF THE DAY Get rid of embarrassing email addresses Google just announced that users can now change their old Gmail usernames without losing access to their inboxes. The company's CEO, Sundar Pichai, invited users to "say goodbye to v0t3f0rp3dr02004@gmail.com". THE MORNING VIDEO There are 11 shows playing on both Broadway in New York and London's West End. Almost everything about them is the same, except for the ticket prices. My colleagues Michael Paulson and Alex Marshall attended performances on both sides of the Atlantic to compare experiences. See who got the best bang for their buck in the video above. AROUND THE WORLD Throwing stones in the Strait of Hormuz The Musandam province in Oman is sometimes compared to Norway for its rocky fjords. The region is characterized by a peculiar duality: rugged isolation and a sometimes dangerous proximity to global trade. The serene fishing village of Khasab, the provincial capital, sits on the Strait of Hormuz, where you can sometimes see children skipping stones across a calm stretch of coastline. For the locals, life has always involved navigating the delicate balance between the peaceful isolation of their lives and the global spotlight on their shores. Read more here. WE RECOMMEND Watch: Living the Earth tells the story of a boy left in the care of relatives in rural China when his parents move to the city in search of work. Read: Here are 23 great short books for beginning readers. Travel: Spend 36 hours in Queenstown, New Zealand, the birthplace of commercial bungee jumping. Listen: Our critic declared Harry Styles' new album the sound of spring. THE RECIPE These chocolate nest cakes are a favorite British Easter dessert and the perfect easy baking activity for the whole family. Just stir, divide into muffin tins, fill with as many candy eggs as you can, and chill. WHERE IS THIS? This photo was featured in a Times article... Which river is this? * Santa Fe River, Florida * Verzasca River, Switzerland * Soca River, Slovenia * Sucuri River, Brazil Click here to find the answer. TIME TO PLAY Here are today's Spelling Bee, Mini Crossword, Wordle, and Sudoku. Find all our games here. That's it for today. Have a great weekend! -- Alicia We welcome your suggestions. Email us at comments@nytimes.com. Selam Gebrekidan is an investigative reporter at The New York Times and is based in Hong Kong.