Chang’e 7 Delay Could Give NASA First Chance to Reach the Moon’s South Pole

No country has ever soft-landed a spacecraft at the lunar poles, which are significantly more difficult to reach than the Moon’s equatorial regions. The delay of China’s Chang’e 7 mission could give NASA an opportunity to become the first nation to reach the lunar south pole.

Blue Origin’s Blue Moon Mark 1 rocket could carry two NASA spacecraft to the Moon’s Antarctic region, possibly as early as spring 2027. If the mission launches on schedule, NASA could reach the lunar poles before China’s delayed mission.

Why the lunar south pole matters

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman’s comments come amid a broader debate over whether it is important for the United States to return astronauts to the Moon before China. China has set a goal of landing its first astronaut on the Moon by 2030 and has made considerable progress developing crewed spacecraft, rockets, and lunar landers.

Does the space race with China matter?

China reaching the Moon before NASA would repeat some of what the United States achieved during the 1969 Apollo mission. However, Isaacman said the order still matters.

If China were to land on the Moon next, Isaacman said, “that would raise questions for every country in the world.” He argued that a Chinese lunar landing could influence how nations evaluate the United States, NATO, China, technology suppliers, military hardware, technical standards, and positions on artificial intelligence.

“Whose technology should we buy? Whose military hardware should we buy? Whose standards should we follow? Whose opinion are we listening to about AI?” Isaacman said. “Are we listening to the United States’ opinion on it or are we listening to China’s opinion on it? Everything is on the table.”

NASA and China’s growing lunar competition

Isaacman said the lunar effort should never have become a competition, pointing to failures in U.S. space policy dating back to the Reagan administration. He estimates that NASA has spent $100 billion across multiple Democratic and Republican presidential administrations without producing a human return to the Moon.

China conducted its first crewed spaceflight in 2003. Since then, it has expanded its capabilities and reached a point where it now rivals the United States in space.

“If it comes down to who gets off the ladder first, the impact will be felt all over the world,” Isaacman said.