In moon race with China, US setbacks test role of private firms
Two US setbacks this week in the race to the moon with China illustrate the risks of NASA's plans to bet on a new strategy of relying heavily on private companies. Fresh delays in the US space agency's Artemis moon program and a propulsion issue that doomed American company Astrobotic's recent robot moon lander illustrate the difficulties faced by the only country to have set foot on the moon, as it tightens budgets while carrying on its cosmic legacy. The United States is planning to put astronauts back on the moon in late 2026 - delayed this week from 2025 - while China is targeting 2030 for its crewed landings. Before humans arrive, each space power plans to first send several smaller robotic missions to examine the moon's surface. China's government-backed program has scored a string of firsts. Astrobotic's lander carried seven NASA instruments that were meant to inspect the lunar surface. Although the lander won't make it to the surface ...