The United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) director has declared that the U.S. is back in the space race and is accelerating its moon landing program, aiming to surpass the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The CCP has set forth a moon landing plan no later than 2030.
NASA Director Jared Isaacman stated during an interview with Fox’s “Saturday in America” on April 11th that the U.S. is “absolutely” back in the space race – under the strong leadership of President Trump, striving to defeat the CCP in the moon landing race and planning to establish a lunar base, followed by planting the American flag on Mars.
Isaacman told host Kayleigh McEnany, “We are absolutely on a path that is achievable right now.”
He emphasized, “There is no doubt… President Trump initiated the Artemis program, with the Working Family Tax Cut Act providing us the funding to execute a viable plan – not just to return to the moon but to go back, stay, and establish a lunar base.”
Isaacman stated that the U.S. is clearly moving towards the goal of astronauts returning to the moon’s surface and staying long-term.
He told McEnany that the President has repeatedly emphasized the need for NASA to “figure out what we need to do in order to get to Mars.” “That’s the reason why you’re building the lunar base – so you have those skills in place for one day when we send American astronauts to Mars and plant the flag there.”
Isaacman also mentioned, “We’re essentially starting construction on the lunar base right now.” He indicated that starting from 2027, as NASA carries out robot missions nearly every month in the lunar south pole, the American public will be able to follow this progress continuously.
These missions will lay the foundation for a long-term American presence beyond Earth, while NASA is also advancing towards its ultimate goal – sending astronauts to Mars.
“We will be testing (manned and unmanned) mobility, power, navigation, and in situ resource manufacturing, all critical for future Mars missions.”
Isaacman emphasized the urgency at a hearing last December, stating that NASA must accelerate to defeat Communist China and return to the moon within this decade.
He told senators, “Now is not the time to delay, it’s the time to act, because if we fall behind – if we make a mistake – we may never catch up, and the consequences could change the balance of power on Earth.”
Isaacman explicitly pointed out that China wants to challenge the U.S. in multiple fields, “including in this high ground of space.”
The China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) spokesperson officially stated in October last year that the manned moon landing is planned to be achieved before 2030. In 2026, the CCP reiterated officially, “The manned moon landing project is progressing smoothly, with a goal no later than 2030.”
China’s moon landing plan involves launching a lunar lander, then a manned spaceship, docking in lunar orbit, and finally achieving the moon landing.
China has already completed tasks such as lunar exploration (Chang’e program), including the first lunar sample return from the far side of the moon, self-built space station (Tiangong), and long-term manned flight capability.
Currently, in the critical research and development phase, there are tests for the Long March 10 rocket, with lunar lander testing scheduled to begin in 2024. The manned spaceship is expected to begin its first unmanned flight in 2026.
China not only plans for moon landing but also intends to establish an international lunar research station by 2035, expanding into a more comprehensive lunar base by 2045.