NASA chief says China could claim the moon as its own territory if it beats the US to the lunar surface

[beijingwalker]

NASA chief says China could claim the moon as its own territory if it beats the US to the lunar surface​

Kate Duffy
Jan 2, 2023, 6:52 PM

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. Paul Hennessy/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

• NASA chief Bill Nelson said China could claim the moon as its own territory.
• He told Politico that Chinese aggression in the South China Sea indicated what might happen on the moon.
• Nelson said China had enjoyed "enormous success and advances" in its space program of late.

The head of NASA has said that China could claim the moon as its own territory if beats the US in the race to the lunar surface.

In an interview with Politico, published Sunday, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said Chinese military expansion in the South China Sea was an indicator of what might happen on the moon.

Nelson said: "It is a fact: we're in a space race. And it is true that we better watch out that they don't get to a place on the moon under the guise of scientific research. And it is not beyond the realm of possibility that they say, 'Keep out, we're here, this is our territory.'

"If you doubt that, look at what they did with the Spratly Islands."

Recently-published aerial photographs show new military installations on the Spratly Islands, a disputed archipelago in the South China Sea.

NASA completed its Artemis 1 mission in November, which involved flying an unmanned Orion spacecraft around the Moon. The mission preceded Artemis 3, which aims to land astronauts on the lunar surface by 2025.

China recently completed its new space station, Tiangong, and in November, launched a crew of taikonauts towards the station. Beijing plans to launch three missions to the moon over the next decade as part of its Chang'e lunar program, after saying it had discovered a new lunar mineral that could be used as an energy source.

Nelson told Politico that China has enjoyed "enormous success and advances" in its space program over the last decade.

NASA is working with Elon Musk's SpaceX on the Artemis 3 mission. Nelson told Politico: "I ask the question every day: 'How is SpaceX's progress?' And all of our managers are telling me they are meeting all of their milestones."

NASA didn't immediately respond to Insider's request for comment, made outside normal US operating hours.

NASA is working with Elon Musk's SpaceX on the Artemis 3 mission. Nelson told Politico: "I ask the question every day: 'How is SpaceX's progress?' And all of our managers are telling me they are meeting all of their milestones."

NASA didn't immediately respond to Insider's request for comment, made outside normal US operating hours.

NASA chief says China could claim the moon as its own territory if it beats the US to the lunar surface

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson told Politico that Chinese military aggression in the South China Sea indicated what might happen on the moon.

www.businessinsider.com

 

[Yongpeng Sun-Tastaufen]

Sure will.

 

[beijingwalker]

 

[F-22Raptor]

NASA chief says China could claim the moon as its own territory if it beats the US to the lunar surface​

Kate Duffy
Jan 2, 2023, 6:52 PM

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. Paul Hennessy/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

• NASA chief Bill Nelson said China could claim the moon as its own territory.
• He told Politico that Chinese aggression in the South China Sea indicated what might happen on the moon.
• Nelson said China had enjoyed "enormous success and advances" in its space program of late.

The head of NASA has said that China could claim the moon as its own territory if beats the US in the race to the lunar surface.

In an interview with Politico, published Sunday, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said Chinese military expansion in the South China Sea was an indicator of what might happen on the moon.

Nelson said: "It is a fact: we're in a space race. And it is true that we better watch out that they don't get to a place on the moon under the guise of scientific research. And it is not beyond the realm of possibility that they say, 'Keep out, we're here, this is our territory.'

"If you doubt that, look at what they did with the Spratly Islands."

Recently-published aerial photographs show new military installations on the Spratly Islands, a disputed archipelago in the South China Sea.

NASA completed its Artemis 1 mission in November, which involved flying an unmanned Orion spacecraft around the Moon. The mission preceded Artemis 3, which aims to land astronauts on the lunar surface by 2025.

China recently completed its new space station, Tiangong, and in November, launched a crew of taikonauts towards the station. Beijing plans to launch three missions to the moon over the next decade as part of its Chang'e lunar program, after saying it had discovered a new lunar mineral that could be used as an energy source.

Nelson told Politico that China has enjoyed "enormous success and advances" in its space program over the last decade.

NASA is working with Elon Musk's SpaceX on the Artemis 3 mission. Nelson told Politico: "I ask the question every day: 'How is SpaceX's progress?' And all of our managers are telling me they are meeting all of their milestones."

NASA didn't immediately respond to Insider's request for comment, made outside normal US operating hours.

NASA is working with Elon Musk's SpaceX on the Artemis 3 mission. Nelson told Politico: "I ask the question every day: 'How is SpaceX's progress?' And all of our managers are telling me they are meeting all of their milestones."

NASA didn't immediately respond to Insider's request for comment, made outside normal US operating hours.

NASA chief says China could claim the moon as its own territory if it beats the US to the lunar surface

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson told Politico that Chinese military aggression in the South China Sea indicated what might happen on the moon.

www.businessinsider.com

NASA now has a fully functioning super heavy lift rocket and crewed spacecraft capability. Only major piece left is the landing system.

NASA are many years ahead of China. I expect NASA astronauts to be back on the Moon by 2026, maybe 2027 if there are setbacks.

 

[beijingwalker]

NASA now has a fully functioning super heavy lift rocket and crewed spacecraft capability. Only major piece left is the landing system.

NASA are many years ahead of China. I expect NASA astronauts to be back on the Moon by 2026, maybe 2027 if there are setbacks.

But what keeps that old guy up at night?

 

[F-22Raptor]

But what keeps that old guy up at night?

He wants consistent funding for the Artemis program.

 

[beijingwalker]

He wants consistent funding for the Artemis program.

Ok, he can try Russia or Japan next time, just leave China alone.

 

[Yongpeng Sun-Tastaufen]

NASA now has a fully functioning super heavy lift rocket and crewed spacecraft capability. Only major piece left is the landing system.

NASA are many years ahead of China. I expect NASA astronauts to be back on the Moon by 2026, maybe 2027 if there are setbacks.

China has done moon sample return as prep for human landing. The US has not demonstrated that to be able to do human landing. The original NASA team no longer exists.

 

[INS_Vikrant]

He is just fear mongering tactics to secure funding of Artemis program, everyone knows as per UN Outer Space Treaty now no nation can claim sovereignty on any celestial bodies. Funny thing is this treaty was drafted in 1967, so if Apollo lunar landings was achieved by NASA just two years before it's actual date, there was literally no law at that time that would have prevented US from claiming entirety of moon for itself

 

[S10]

When the head of an agency that's supposed to advance science engages in fear mongering, you know that American society has a terminal case of McCarthyism.

NASA now has a fully functioning super heavy lift rocket and crewed spacecraft capability. Only major piece left is the landing system.

NASA are many years ahead of China. I expect NASA astronauts to be back on the Moon by 2026, maybe 2027 if there are setbacks.

So why is he whining like a whipped hoe over an area he has such a strong advantage in?

 

[Abdul Rehman Majeed]

NASA now has a fully functioning super heavy lift rocket and crewed spacecraft capability. Only major piece left is the landing system.

NASA are many years ahead of China. I expect NASA astronauts to be back on the Moon by 2026, maybe 2027 if there are setbacks.

It is amazing that US landed on the Moon 50 years ago but cannot repeat that feat now.

 

[313ghazi]

Has anyone seen the Comedy SpaceForce on netflix?

It seems this guy took the script too seriously.

 

[Menthol]

USA wants to grab the moon for itself.

But using China as an excuse.

If there's no China, USA will use Russia, etc.

 

[大汉奸柳传志]

I thought the USA already claimed the moon as its own in the 1960s by plugging a plastic flag on the surface

 

[etylo]

Why not say the whole universe just as the whites have been claiming they own the whole universe for centuries.