The emerging space race is splitting global efforts between the U.S.-led Artemis programme and the joint China-Russia International Lunar Research Station. While Washington pursues commercial partnerships and Mars goals, China has carried out six lunar missions since 2007 with the intent to land astronauts on the Moon by 2030. India must reconcile its signing of the Artemis Accords and a 2026 NASA invitation with its independent domestic roadmap.
Key points
National commercial ambitions and resource extraction strategies are actively challenging…: National commercial ambitions and resource extraction strategies are actively challenging the non-appropriation tenets of the 1967 Outer Space Treaty.
Terrestrial superpowers are formalizing a geopolitical divide through competing explorati…: Terrestrial superpowers are formalizing a geopolitical divide through competing exploration coalitions led separately by the United States and the China-Russia partnership.
New Delhi is weighing its international treaty commitments against its Space Vision 2047…: New Delhi is weighing its international treaty commitments against its Space Vision 2047 goals, which target a space station by 2035 and a lunar landing by 2040.
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The proclamation links American leadership in space to national security and economic prosperity, while setting out an eventual human mission to Mars. However, its emphasis on establishing a lasting American presence beyond Earth has renewed concerns over whether space will remain a shared domain or become another arena for geopolitical competition.
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Susmita Mohanty, director general of space think tank Spaceport SARABHAI, questioned the apparent contradiction between the proclamation's language of shared access and its ambition for American dominance.
“Trump describes space as ‘the province of all humans’ while, almost in the same breath, declaring his intention to establish a ‘permanent presence by American citizens’,” she told ToI, pointing to the tension between treating space as a common domain and seeking enduring national dominance.
Moon race could deepen geopolitical fault lines
Mohanty also challenged the suggestion of American primacy in space exploration, noting that international cooperation has played a crucial role in advancing human spaceflight. Russia continued transporting American astronauts to the International…
A24 approved a formal request from NASA to screen its new Elizabeth Holmes documentary for astronauts aboard the International Space Station. The unusual off-planet exhibition arrives as the North American box-office leader prepares for a wider global rollout. European audiences will have to wait weeks or months longer to view the project in traditional theaters.
Washington has tied permanent lunar installations and resource extraction directly to economic prosperity and national security, aiming to place astronauts on the Moon by 2028. This push accelerates an orbital rivalry with the China-Russia space alliance and challenges traditional treaties governing the global commons. Emerging space powers must now navigate these rival blocs while protecting their own independent exploration programs.
Without an onboard propulsion system to counter atmospheric drag, the iconic observatory is steadily losing altitude after over 35 years in space. NASA is turning to the commercial space sector for viable technologies to boost the spacecraft into a higher orbit before it falls back to Earth. A successful mission would prolong vital scientific observations while also preparing for the telescope's eventual safe disposal.