NASA's Artemis program aims to return American astronauts to the moon within the next few years, competing with China focused on landing astronauts on the moon by the end of the decade. The space race is now also about resources, particularly water, essential for fueling further space exploration to Mars and beyond.
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson believes the U.S. is in an urgent race with China in space exploration, emphasizing the importance of partnerships with private companies like SpaceX despite Elon Musk's controversial profile.
In recent years, space achievements like flying a helicopter on Mars, smashing a spacecraft into an asteroid, and launching the James Webb Space Telescope have showcased NASA's advancements. However, the iconic moon landings of the Apollo missions can feel like distant history.
The moon rock at NASA's headquarters symbolizes the Apollo missions, specifically Apollo 17 in 1972, the final human visit to the moon. NASA's upcoming Artemis program seeks to reignite the glory days of moon landings, competing with China and aiming for lunar resource exploration.
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