Countries around the world are showing a growing interest in the Moon as they aim to showcase their technological prowess and contribute to our understanding of Earth’s closest celestial neighbor. In the coming week, spacecraft from Russia and India are scheduled to touch down on the lunar surface, joining the international caravan of robotic missions that have been sent to the moon in recent years.

Japan is also planning to launch a small lander to test precise landing techniques for future missions. While private companies from Israel and Japan have previously attempted and failed to land spacecraft on the moon, China has successfully landed in 2019 and 2020, with aspirations to send astronauts there by 2030. NASA is also working on its Artemis program to establish long-term infrastructure on and around the moon.

This renewed interest in the moon has sparked a modern-day moon race, where the focus is on reaching the moon’s south pole, which contains valuable water in the form of ice. Accessing this water is crucial for human settlement and sustainable life, as its components, hydrogen and oxygen, can be used as rocket fuel. This makes the moon potentially a gas station in space and a gateway to further exploration in the solar system.

Over the next decade, NASA estimates that human activity on and near the moon will surpass everything that has occurred since the start of the Space Age in 1957. There could be up to 150 missions in the next decade, with many countries expressing a credible intention to establish a lasting presence on the moon.

Russia sees its landing, called Luna-25, as an opportunity to assert itself in the global space race and demonstrate its continued presence in space exploration. India’s Chandrayaan-3 mission is a chance to redeem itself after a failed moon landing attempt in 2019. China has been successful in its lunar campaign, becoming the first nation to land on the far side of the moon and returning samples for scientific research.

NASA, on the other hand, is actively working on multiple missions and plans to send astronauts to the moon in the near future. Two commercial companies, Intuitive Machines and Astrobotic, under contract with NASA, are scheduled to send spacecraft to the lunar surface by the end of this year.

The moon has become a critical part of global space strategies, with its south pole offering valuable resources for sustaining life and fueling further exploration. This renewed interest and competition signify a shift in focus towards establishing a presence on and around the moon.

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