China and India have achieved successful moon landings, contrasting with Russia, Japan, and Israel, whose lunar endeavors fell short.
Now, two private enterprises are racing to reinvigorate U.S. lunar exploration, marking a return to the space race over five decades after the conclusion of the Apollo program.
This initiative, backed by NASA, aims to jumpstart commercial moon deliveries, aligning with the space agency’s renewed emphasis on returning astronauts to the lunar surface.
“They’re scouts going to the moon ahead of us,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson.
Leading the charge is Pittsburgh’s Astrobotic Technology, scheduled for a liftoff on Monday, deploying a lander using United Launch Alliance’s new rocket, Vulcan, the Associated Press reported.
Following closely, Houston’s Intuitive Machines targets a mid-February launch, hitching a ride with SpaceX. Meanwhile, Japan is gearing up for a landing attempt in two weeks.
The Japanese Space Agency, having launched a lander with two toy-size rovers in September, enjoys a head start, accompanied by an X-ray telescope that remains in Earth’s orbit.
Should Japan succeed, it will join the ranks as the fifth country to achieve a lunar landing.
Written by B.C. Begley
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B.C. Begley 