Listen to “Space Race 2” on Spreaker.
NASA’s Artemis II is an inspiration… a catalyst for unity in a country that thirsts for it.
It should also awaken Americans to our space race with China — one we must win.
Have we forgotten? The Soviets beat us before we beat them — first to place a satellite in orbit, first to put a man in space. Arguably, those losses were the kicks in the pants we needed — a reminder that a red flag might fly on the Moon instead of our own if we didn’t get it together. A symbolic, ever-present reminder of what communism could have achieved before capitalism in the Cold War era. Could have…
In many ways, despite America’s manned orbital return this past week, the Chinese are winning the race.
According to The New York Times, “China is the only nation to land on and retrieve samples from the far side of the moon, the hemisphere that always faces away from Earth. This summer, China’s seventh robotic mission, Chang’e 7, will explore the lunar south pole.”
China says it will land “taikonauts” on the Moon in 2030. NASA is targeting 2028 — both timelines tied to ambitions of establishing lunar outposts as a stepping stone to Mars. These outposts aim to harness lunar resources, including frozen water, hydrogen, and helium, and even support the construction of nuclear reactors — all critical to building a pathway to Mars, centered on the Moon’s south pole.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman warned the endeavor is at risk.
“They may be early,” Isaacman said last week. “And recent history suggests we might be late.”
He’s referring to Artemis program slowdowns. A repeat of history could jeopardize the U.S. 2028 goal.
But why does it matter? Does it really matter if China wins? Yes.
This race isn’t just about being first — it’s about the ability to stay. If you get there first, you have a better chance of doing that. And the country that not only arrives first but establishes a sustained presence will set the rules others must follow.
Just as we didn’t want to live under a Moon with a red Russian flag, America shouldn’t want to live under a Moon with a red Chinese flag either.
More than that, the American system is built on leadership and innovation. That innovation is the crux of our economy — one built on proprietary advantages traded for what we don’t produce; the services we outsource and the goods we choose not to manufacture ourselves.
And while the depth of the U.S. financial system underpins the world’s reserve currency — a status that, in part, unfortunately allows us to live beyond our means — losing our technological edge to China matters here, too.
Losing the space race — an unmistakable signal of declining American capability — would make it easier for BRICS nations to challenge the dollar’s dominance. That’s not a small thing. It’s a destabilizing thing.
Never mind the strategic implications and security concerns at stake.
You can see how this builds.
So when someone tells you getting back to the Moon, staying there, and winning the race to Mars doesn’t matter… you’ll know better. It matters — just as it did when we raced the Soviets. It will always matter.
And while we can and will run a good race — one that takes the high road, embraces partnerships among countries, and advances humanity — you can bet China isn’t driven by those same priorities.
The only acceptable outcome? Victory.
Godspeed.