The race for the moon’s south pole: can China beat Nasa’s 2028 deadline?
As Artemis II heads for lunar orbit, Nasa’s moon landing delays have given Beijing a window to close the gap.
With the successful launch of Nasa’s Artemis II mission on April 1, 2026, humans are returning to lunar orbit for the first time in over 50 years.
But while the US celebrates the start of its crewed fly-by mission, its path to the moon’s surface has hit a significant setback. Nasa’s first crewed moon landing has officially been pushed back to 2028 due to lander development hurdles, making the gap with China’s 2030 goal smaller than ever.
As Beijing continues its state-driven march towards the lunar surface, the race for the moon’s south pole is no longer a guaranteed US victory.
SCMP science reporter Ling Xin breaks down the shifting timelines and explains what the race to put people back on the moon is really about.