Is The U.S. Losing The Space Race To China?

In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, the Shenzhou-13 manned spaceship onto of a Long March-2F carrier rocket prepares to be transferred to the launching area of Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwestern China, Oct. 7. | Wang Jiangbo/Xinhua 

Politico: ‘We’re falling behind’: 2022 seen as a pivotal lap in the space race with China 

Washington and Beijing are jockeying for advantage — and international partners — to develop the moon. 

The new year could be a turning point in what’s steadily defining the next chapter in the space age: The fierce competition between the United States and China for economic and military dominance. 

Washington, D.C., and Beijing are jockeying for advantage — and international partners — to develop the moon and are locked in what increasingly looks like an arms race that could threaten the growth of satellite constellations and space stations. And so far, international efforts to reduce tensions and encourage sustainable growth in low-Earth orbit and beyond have made little progress. 

"We are in a race that we might win but it is certainly conceivable that China may advance in certain areas of space faster than we do," said Sen. Jerry Moran of Kansas, the top Republican on the Commerce Subcommittee on Space and Science. "It is to our advantage to do everything to see that for at least the things we determine to be significantly important, we achieve as quickly as possible and hopefully before our adversaries do." 

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WNU Editor: A sign of things to come. China had a record breaking year in space launches .... China closes record-breaking year with orbital launches from Jiuquan and Xichang (Space News).  

Update: China Releases Astonishing Images Of Mars Taken By Tianwen-1 Spacecraft (Zero Hedge).