It’s been 53 years since humans last walked on the moon. In December 1972, Gene Cernan brushed lunar dust from his boots, climbed into the Apollo 17 capsule, and assumed we’d be back within a decade. He was wrong. Decades of missed opportunities, shifting priorities, and technical challenges followed. But now, a new chapter is being written—and the stakes are higher than ever.

The New Space Race: America vs. China

As four astronauts train for a journey farther from Earth than anyone has ever gone, a quiet but urgent space race is accelerating behind the scenes. China has announced plans to land its own astronauts by 2030, aiming to build a permanent lunar base and return samples from the far side of the moon—something no other nation has accomplished.

For the United States, the clock is ticking. NASA has less than five years to prove it can still lead in space. The Artemis program, born out of a powerful idea—go back to the moon, but this time stay—is now the centerpiece of America’s ambitions. The plan isn’t just to plant flags and collect rocks. This is about building infrastructure, establishing a permanent human presence, and using the moon as a stepping stone to Mars and beyond.

Meet the Crew: Artemis 2

In a massive building at Kennedy Space Center, Florida, a rocket stands waiting. The Space Launch System (SLS)—the most powerful NASA rocket ever built—is topped by the Orion spacecraft, named “Integrity” by its crew. Reed Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen are set to become the first humans to travel to the vicinity of the moon since Apollo.

Their mission, Artemis 2, is scheduled to launch no earlier than February 5, 2026. For more than five decades, no human has traveled beyond low Earth orbit—the International Space Station orbits just 400 kilometers above us; the moon is nearly a thousand times farther.

The stacking of this rocket was completed in October 2025, marking the end of years of preparation and the beginning of a countdown to history.

Why Now? The Challenges and the Stakes

The Artemis program was officially established in 2019 with the goal to land astronauts on the moon by 2024—a deadline that proved too ambitious. Delays have been caused by a host of interconnected problems: the Orion capsule’s heat shield required redesign after unexpected ablation during the Artemis 1 test flight, the life support system needed upgrades, and the new lunar space suits (being developed by Axiom Space and Prada) weren’t ready in time.

Despite these obstacles, progress continues. In coming weeks, the Artemis 2 crew will participate in a countdown demonstration test—a full dress rehearsal for launch day, testing every timeline, procedure, and emergency protocol.

But Artemis 2 is only a flyby mission. The crew will travel to the moon, loop around it, and return to Earth. The first landing is reserved for Artemis 3, and here’s where the real drama unfolds.

The Lander Dilemma: SpaceX, Blue Origin, and the Commercial Revolution

To land astronauts on the moon, NASA needs a lunar lander. Instead of building its own, NASA contracted SpaceX to develop the Human Landing System (HLS), a modified version of the colossal Starship rocket. The catch? Starship isn’t ready. SpaceX has completed 11 integrated test flights, including the stunning feat of catching a Super Heavy booster with robotic arms in Texas, but some critical capabilities—like orbital propellant transfer—have never been demonstrated at this scale.

Internal documents suggest the first uncrewed lunar landing attempt by SpaceX could happen in June 2027, with the earliest crewed landing possible in September 2028—over a year past NASA’s official target.

NASA, concerned about delays, has reopened the Artemis 3 contract, inviting other companies to submit proposals. Blue Origin, Jeff Bezos’s space company, is racing to develop its own lunar lander, Blue Moon. After successfully landing its New Glenn rocket booster in November 2025, Blue Origin is stacking its first Blue Moon Mark 1 lander for an uncrewed cargo mission in early 2026. The company could accelerate its crewed lander if SpaceX falters.

Meanwhile, commercial lunar landers are already reaching the moon. NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program pays private companies to deliver science instruments and technology demonstrations. In February 2024, Intuitive Machines became the first American entity to soft-land on the moon since Apollo. Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost mission followed in 2025, marking the first fully successful American vertical landing in 53 years.

China’s Lunar Ambitions: A Methodical March

While America contends with delays and technical challenges, China is executing a methodical campaign of lunar exploration. Chang’e 5 returned samples from the moon’s near side in 2020. Chang’e 6 brought back rocks from the far side in 2024—a global first. Future missions, Chang’e 7 and 8, will deploy hopping probes into shadowed craters to search for water ice and test 3D printing with lunar soil.

China’s ultimate goal: the International Lunar Research Station, a permanent base at the lunar south pole, with basic operations by 2035 and expansion by 2045. China has announced it intends to land astronauts on the moon before 2030, developing next-generation rockets and spacecraft, and testing lunar landers in secret.

If China lands astronauts before the United States returns, it will mark a historic shift in the balance of space power. The symbolic victory would echo for generations.

Gateway: Humanity’s First Lunar Space Station

Infrastructure is also advancing. The Lunar Gateway, humanity’s first space station designed to orbit the moon, is preparing for launch by 2027. International partners are building modules, robotic arms, and airlocks. Over 40 nations have signed the Artemis Accords, agreeing to principles for peaceful lunar exploration—but China and Russia have chosen a separate path.

The Astronauts, the Technology, and the Future

Right now, the Artemis 2 crew is training for every possible scenario: loss of communication, system failures, medical emergencies. The heat shield issues from Artemis 1 have been addressed, life support upgraded, and the SLS rocket stands ready to deliver over 8 million pounds of thrust.

The astronauts will fly farther from Earth than any human has ever traveled, reaching a point 4,600 miles beyond the moon before looping back. Along the way, they’ll test systems that must work flawlessly for future crews who will actually land.

Science payloads will be deployed, including international CubeSats studying lunar conditions, radiation, and more. The Artemis Accords ensure transparency, data sharing, and the protection of lunar heritage sites.

What’s at Stake: Resources, Power, and the Next Frontier

The lunar south pole isn’t just another destination. It’s the most valuable real estate in the inner solar system. Scientists believe water ice, deposited by ancient comets, remains frozen in shadowed craters. Water can be split into oxygen and hydrogen for breathing and rocket fuel—transforming the economics of space exploration.

Peaks of “eternal light” offer near-constant sunlight for solar power stations. Imagine a base on a mountain ridge, with water ice in the valleys below—power and resources to sustain human life indefinitely.

Geologists, astronomers, biologists, and material scientists are eager to study the moon’s mysteries, from ancient impact basins to the far side’s radio silence and the potential for growing food in lunar conditions.

The Countdown Has Begun

The next few years will be decisive. By 2028, we’ll know if Starship can land astronauts. By 2030, we’ll see whether China fulfills its promise. By 2035, permanent lunar bases may emerge.

The moon is no longer a destination for occasional visits. It’s becoming a workplace, a laboratory—perhaps eventually, a home. And it all starts with four astronauts, a spacecraft named Integrity, and a launch window opening in February 2026.

This isn’t a future dream. It’s happening right now. The decisions being made today will shape the future of human civilization in ways we’re only beginning to understand.

We went to the moon once before, left footprints and a flag, collected rocks, and took photographs. Then we stopped. This time, we go back to stay—and that changes everything.