Space Race to the Moon
by Cara Gourley
July 21, 1969: There was a small step for man and one giant leap for mankind. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin boldly set foot in unknown territory; the moon. Following in their footsteps for another three years, NASA sent out explorations and men to walk the moon. But that hasn't happened in the last thirty years. NASA has been focusing on satellites, space stations, and space probes. It now just might have a rival.
Chinese officials publicized that China was ready for a manned mission to the moon sometime in the next 15 years. China joined with Russia and the United States to be the only countries to put a man in space on October 15th 2003 when Astronaut Yang Liwei traveled for 21 hours around the Earth. In 2005, China did it again sending astronauts on five-day missions. It just may be the next country to visit the moon.
China's plans include a three-stage moon exploration fly-by project this year and then with a "soft landing" in 2012. China is working hard at achieving space travel. China's space program has around 200,000 workers, which is about three times what the United States has.
What does this mean? With the huge gap in time since the last moon mission, NASA has been constantly criticized. A common myth circulates that the whole moon landing was a hoax. The United States needed to step up. Under the Bush administration, funding for NASA was increased by a billion dollars. His 2004 vision included putting a man on the moon in 2020. China's goal is right around the same time.
Again the world will see a "race to space." Only this time, it is a race to the moon and the United States and China both want the prize.
But a little competition never hurt anyone. With China at its heels, the United States has a fear that the next man on the moon will not be an American. This just might be what NASA needs to be kicked back into gear. Space travel may now be higher on the concerns of congressmen and NASA just might receive the extra funding it needs to push up the moon landing date. However, China will not easily be easily deterred; which, for the world's economy and benefit, is a good thing.
Whether China or the United States reaches the moon first in the race is not the point. The goal for these countries is a national sense of pride, similar to the feeling that Americans felt in the 60s and 70s, and still today, when they see the footage of the first moon landing. But moreover, exploration sets the stage for improvement that could be worldwide. New technologies developed in the process could be helpful to everyday life, or even to those with rare sicknesses. It could also be used to help solve mysteries about our surroundings and aid in a greater understanding of the Earth itself.
Sometime soon, the television stations will be airing another moon landing. And remember correctly: the saying isn't one giant leap for Americans or the Chinese; it's for mankind.
Sources
O'Brian, Miles and King, John. Bush Reveals Vision for the Moon and Beyond. 15 Jan 2004. CNN.com. http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/space/01/14/bush.space
Huanxin, Zhao. Man on Moon Possible within 15 years. 7 March 2007. http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2007-03/07/content_821256.htm
