Artemis Program · China · Nation Thailand
New Moon race is about who can build and stay
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The race back to the Moon is moving into a more serious phase, with the United States and China no longer focused only on landing missions but on the harder challenge of building and sustaining a long-term presence beyond Earth.
Key facts
- NASA is pushing ahead with a phased plan for a future Moon base, while Chinese researchers are testing fibres made from lunar soil that could one day be used to build structures on the lunar surface.
- NASA announced in March 2026 that it was reshaping its lunar strategy around a step-by-step plan to build a sustained human presence on the Moon.
- Xinhua reported that the research team has worked on materials for extreme environments since 2016 and has developed a spinning device that can simulate lunar conditions, including high vacuum and microgravity.
- The research was made possible after China’s Chang’e-5 mission returned lunar soil samples to Earth in 2020
Summary
NASA is pushing ahead with a phased plan for a future Moon base, while Chinese researchers are testing fibres made from lunar soil that could one day be used to build structures on the lunar surface.
NASA announced in March 2026 that it was reshaping its lunar strategy around a step-by-step plan to build a sustained human presence on the Moon.