US and China race to commercialize moon resources as private space companies compete

China and the United States are competing to establish commercial operations on the moon, with private companies now joining government space agencies in investing billions toward lunar exploration and resource extraction. The competition includes landing challenges and efforts to establish profitable ventures on the lunar surface. US taxpayer dollars fund NASA's participation in this effort, directly involving American government resources in the competition. The race reflects a broader shift in space exploration from government-only programs to private-sector commercialization.