"Nasa Chief: China Won't Beat US in Race to the Moon"

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson believes that the United States will land astronauts on the moon before China, despite concerns of a space race. NASA is targeting September 2026 for its Artemis 3 mission, while China aims to place astronauts on the moon by 2030. Both countries are eyeing the lunar south pole, with China also planning a mission to the moon's far side. Despite competition, NASA has approved agency-funded researchers to apply for access to lunar samples returned by China's Chang'e-5 mission.