The lunar conquest rekindles Sino-American tensions in a space race reminiscent of the Cold War era. For two decades, Beijing and Washington are multiplying initiatives to assert their technological and strategic supremacy beyond the Earth’s atmosphere. Between space stations, Martian missions and lunar explorations, the two giants are mobilizing colossal resources to dominate the new celestial frontiers. The Moon, neglected since the Apollo missions, once again becomes the epicenter of this fierce rivalry.
A lunar arsenal made in China to get ahead of Artemis
The Chinese space administration has just taken a crucial step in its lunar conquest by selecting two proposals for rovers. These vehicles, developed by Cast Cast and Sasttwo heavyweights in the Chinese aerospace industry, will have to demonstrate their ability to transport astronauts to lunar soil. The specifications require a machine of 200 kilos capable of traveling 10 kilometers independently. If this distance exceeds the immediate needs of the first missions, it already foreshadows Chinese ambitions to establish a permanent presence on our natural satellite.
A strategy modeled on the legacy of Apollo
Chinese plan for its first manned missions evokes glorious missions Apollos 15, 16 and 17. The crew of three astronauts will take off aboard the spacecraft Mengzhou before joining the lander Lanyue in lunar orbit. For approximately six hours, two astronauts will explore the surface, carry out experiments and test their rover, protected by the new spacesuits recently unveiled by Beijing. The program accumulates technical advances, particularly with the development of the launcher Long March 10the cornerstone of the project which will require two copies for each mission.
The race against the clock is on
China does not hide its ambition to accelerate the return of the Americans to the Moon, while the programme Artemis accumulates delays. Progress in the development of engines for the Long March 10 rocket fuels the optimism of Chinese authorities, even if the timetable remains extremely tight for a first mission before 2030. This battle for lunar supremacy goes beyond simple national prestige: it will determine who will establish the future rules for the exploration and exploitation of lunar resources, paving the way for a new era of human presence in space.
