New ‘space race’ heats up amid warnings of ‘Wild West’ scramble for moon's riches

Two moon landers have hit the headlines this week, marking a new phase in a second ‘space race’ after 50 years.

The past few days have seen not only the first-ever commercial lander to arrive safely on the moon, but also Japan’s moon lander ‘reawakening’ after a two-week lunar night (equivalent to two Earth weeks) and making contact.

The new space race has been fuelled in part by (relatively) cheap reusable rockets from Elon Musk’s Space X, with the three leaders (China, Russia and the US) aiming to claim territory and harvest resources including minerals in space.

Analyst Morgan Stanley has suggested that the global space industry could be worth $1 trillion annually by 2040.

Who are the leaders in the new space race?

Both the United States and Russia (in partnership with China) aim to build bases on the moon.

In total, more than 80 countries now have a presence in space, with the fast-growing economies of China, India and Japan major players.

These states hope that the moon holds resources including minerals - and perhaps tonnes of Helium-3, which could power nuclear fusion plants.

But others have warned that the race to the moon could lead to a "Wild West". British Philosopher AC Grayling writes in his new book Who Owns the Moon?, A space Wild West is coming into existence. The consequences for peace and stability on Earth, already tenuous on conventional grounds ... could be, and too likely will be, as petrol on to a fire."

Which landers arrived on the moon this week?

Intuitive Machines’ Odysseus lander is the first commercial lander to arrive safely on the moon, and is also the first US-built spacecraft on the moon since 1972.

Since landing, the Houston-based company has made contact with the lander - although the lander has tipped over on its side after ‘tripping’ during landing.

Intuitive Machines CEO Steve Altemus said, “The vehicle is stable, near or at our intended landing site. We do have communications with the lander … so that’s phenomenal to begin with.”

Meanwhile, Japan’s Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (Slim) craft responded to signals this week, suggesting that the unmanned machine had survived the two-week lunar night despite another wonky landing.

The machine was left with its solar panels facing the wrong way, but was able to power up and perform scientific observations of a crater thanks to the sun’s shifting angle. he Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (Jaxa) said “Yesterday we sent a command, to which Slim responded. Slim succeeded in surviving a night on the moon’s surface while maintaining its communication function.”

Where will astronauts go on the moon?

NASA has identified 13 possible landing sites near the moon’s south pole that will be used by the Artemis III mission when it brings humans to the moon’s surface.

The South Pole is considered significant because it has permanently shadowed regions potentially rich in resources and which have never been explored by humans.

Mark Kirasich, deputy associate administrator for the Artemis Campaign Development Division at NASA Headquarters in Washington said in 2022, “Selecting these regions means we are one giant leap closer to returning humans to the Moon for the first time since Apollo.”

“When we do, it will be unlike any mission that’s come before as astronauts venture into dark areas previously unexplored by humans and lay the groundwork for future long-term stays.”

When will humans return to the moon?

Just 12 people (all men) have walked on the moon and Nasa plans to put the first woman on its surface by 2026

Nasa has flown six manned missions to the surface of the moon, beginning with Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin in July 1969, up to Gene Cernan and Jack Schmitt in December 1972.

The Artemis mission would be the first time people have walked on the moon since the last Apollo moon mission in 1972.

NASA will now target September 2025 for Artemis II, the first crewed Artemis mission around the Moon, and September 2026 for Artemis III, which is planned to land the first astronauts near the lunar South Pole.

Artemis IV, the first mission to the Gateway lunar space station, remains on track for 2028.