The United States and China are competing for a landing site on the Moon’s surface that could lead to an initial conflict over resources outside Earth. This was explained by Christopher Newman, professor of space law and politics at British Northumbrian University. space news.
According to the publication, China and the United States have identified potential landing sites at the Moon’s South Pole, while their plans partially overlap.
prof. It’s not hard to see why they both want the same sites, Newman, because those sites are “the best month-to-month real estate to use onsite resources.”
“This could be the first potential point of conflict over resources outside Earth,” he said.
As the professor said, both parties signed the Outer Space Treaty, so they nominally accept the rule of using celestial bodies for peaceful purposes. “It will be interesting to see what happens in the end,” he notes.
Newman stressed that a lot will depend on who gets to these points first.
“This can add an undesirable element of competition that threatens security both in space and on Earth,” he concludes.
The article also noted that the US and Chinese landing plans will be revised as their respective missions approach.
Previously reportedNASA has identified 13 areas around the Moon’s South Pole where astronauts will land on the next Artemis mission.