NASA and China race to establish Moon bases by 2030s amid space competition

NASA unveiled plans to send humans to the Moon and establish a permanent lunar base by the 2030s, while China simultaneously launched three astronauts into space as part of its own lunar ambitions. The competing programs represent an intensifying space race between the two powers, with both nations targeting similar timelines for Moon operations. The development carries stakes for space exploration governance and resource access on the Moon, areas where international law remains unsettled. France 24 consulted Michelle L. D. Hanlon, Executive Director at the Center for Air and Space Law at the University of Mississippi, to analyze the legal and competitive dimensions.