US and China race to mysterious lunar south pole as latest mission paves way for astronaut return in 2025

THE US has officially made its claim on the lunar south pole with the success of its nail-biting Odysseus Moon landing.

While the White House is one step closer to securing a permanent base on the Moon, it may not be alone on the lunar surface.

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The ongoing chest pounding between the US and China has sparked a Renaissance for the space race of the 60s.

For a long time, Nasa Administrator Bill Nelson has considered China its most capable opponent in getting boots on the Moon by the end of the decade.

But a task perhaps trickier than ferrying people to the Moon, is building long-lasting infrastructure where humans can survive off-planet.

It is not beyond the realm of possibility that they say, ‘Keep out, we’re here, this is our territory.’

Bill Nelson, Nasa Administrator

In January, Nelson said he believed the “race” was over for China, and that the US was heading towards its home straight.

The Nasa boss announced that the agency is now targeting September 2026 for its Artemis III mission, the first human assignment on the Moon since Apollo 17.

“I do not have a concern that China is going to land before us,” Nelson told press at the time.

“I think that China has a very aggressive plan. I think they would like to land before us, because that might give them some PR coup.

“But the fact is that I don’t think they will.

“I think it is true that their date that they announced keeps getting earlier.

“But specifically, with us landing in September of ’26, that will be the first landing.”

Nelson has been outspoken of his fears should China pit them to the post.

China’s military presence in the South China Sea signals how the country might behave on the lunar surface, Nelson claimed, which would breach the 1967 Outer Space Treaty.

“We better watch out that they don’t get to a place on the moon under the guise of scientific research,” he told Politico last year.

“And it is not beyond the realm of possibility that they say, ‘Keep out, we’re here, this is our territory.’”

Like the US, China has its own plans for a lunar research facility, which it has already agreed to share with Egypt, Venezuela, South Africa, Pakistan and Azerbaijan.

As things stand today, China is aiming to establish its International Lunar Research Base (ILRS) no earlier than 2028.

China is adamant that its intentions for ILRS are to collect samples and carry out “scientific exploration”, despite Nasa’s suspicions.

Even though there are many precious metals and minerals on the Moon, the most valuable resource is Helium-3 since it is rare on Earth, but is very common on the Moon.

The Universities Space Research Association

While China was late to the first round of the space race, Beijing is investing heavily in becoming the second nation to put humans on the Moon by 2030.

China’s crew of choice will also be the first non-Americans to touchdown on the lunar surface.

Under President Xi Jinping’s leadership, China has spent close to $6billion (£4.73billion) on its ambitious space programme, according to Euroconsult.

Although Nasa is no longer fretting about Beijing winning the space race, China has come along way since its rover landing in 2013, and even has the historic feat of exploring the dark side of the Moon under its belt.

Why the lunar south pole?

The lunar south pole has been a site of interest to all space-faring nations, including India, Russia, China and the US.

Last year, India made history by becoming the first country to land near the southern site.

Just days before, Russia also made an attempt at a south pole touchdown, which ended in a crash landing.

Nasa’s Artemis III mission is intended to explore a region near the lunar south pole.

The Artemis III mission forms parts of a decade-long programme that is hoped to culminate with a permanent lunar base by the end of the decade.

The south pole is, scientists believe, the most promising location for water-based ice, which will be key to future human habitation on the Moon.

But the abundance of precious lunar materials that winners of the space race will have near-sole access to is might also be fuelling the chase, experts say.

The south polar region is one of the Moon’s most resource-dense areas.

In a report, the Universities Space Research Association (USRA) said that the price of transporting precious metals like Platinum and Rhodium back to Earth wouldn’t be cost-effective.

However, that doesn’t apply to Helium-3.

So-called ‘cold traps’ dotted on lunar surface are believed to contain gases like Helium-3 which can help produce huge amounts of energy here on Earth.

“Even though there are many precious metals and minerals on the Moon, the most valuable resource is Helium-3 since it is rare on Earth, but is very common on the Moon,” experts write.

“The price of Helium-3 could be even as much as $2000 per Liter, or $59.15 per ounce respectively.

“It is essential to mention that 2.2 pounds, or 1 kilogram of Helium-3 mixed with 1.5 pounds, or 0.67 kilograms of deuterium can produce 19 years of megawatt energy – enough power to run the United States for a whole year.”

This post first appeared on Thesun.co.uk