As the US and China engage in a new "space race" under the guise of peaceful exploration, the specter of old politics being exported to the moon looms large. The lunar south pole has emerged as a prized real estate, offering tantalizing resources like solar arrays and ice deposits that could fuel humanity's post-terrestrial economy.
However, this renewed competition also brings with it the risk of exploiting the last "commons" – space itself – by private interests seeking to corner the market on lunar resources. The US and China are already vying for control, with Nasa's Artemis II and China's Chang'e 7 missions scheduled to launch in 2026.
The drive to commercialize space is being fueled by tech moguls like Elon Musk, who aims to float SpaceX in a valuation of $1.5 trillion next year. Meanwhile, the International Lunar Research Station – a joint effort between China, Russia, and global-south partners – embodies a state-led approach that seeks to escape an American-led system.
But beneath this rivalry lies a more sinister reality: two camps publicly invoking "peaceful exploration" while engaging in strategic competition for lunar resources. Water on the moon could potentially produce rocket fuel and sustain life, while moon rock might be useful for construction.
This new phase of space exploration is also being driven by a pressing environmental imperative – humanity's reliance on Earth is unsustainable, with natural resources being used up at an alarming rate. In this context, leaving Earth behind may seem like the only viable option.
Yet, as Kim Stanley Robinson's classic sci-fi novel Red Mars warns, we must first learn to live sustainably on our own planet before attempting to colonize another world. The logic of resource utilization subtly inverts the problem – planetary overshoot becomes a licence to expand it.
The US Space Act permits the mining of asteroids as if they were open seams of ore, and Nasa's moon rock returns have justified space property rights. This trend risks exporting humanity's old politics to new worlds with disastrous consequences. Can we escape Earth but not ourselves? Only by understanding this can we hope to create a future where space exploration is guided by sustainability, not exploitation.
However, this renewed competition also brings with it the risk of exploiting the last "commons" – space itself – by private interests seeking to corner the market on lunar resources. The US and China are already vying for control, with Nasa's Artemis II and China's Chang'e 7 missions scheduled to launch in 2026.
The drive to commercialize space is being fueled by tech moguls like Elon Musk, who aims to float SpaceX in a valuation of $1.5 trillion next year. Meanwhile, the International Lunar Research Station – a joint effort between China, Russia, and global-south partners – embodies a state-led approach that seeks to escape an American-led system.
But beneath this rivalry lies a more sinister reality: two camps publicly invoking "peaceful exploration" while engaging in strategic competition for lunar resources. Water on the moon could potentially produce rocket fuel and sustain life, while moon rock might be useful for construction.
This new phase of space exploration is also being driven by a pressing environmental imperative – humanity's reliance on Earth is unsustainable, with natural resources being used up at an alarming rate. In this context, leaving Earth behind may seem like the only viable option.
Yet, as Kim Stanley Robinson's classic sci-fi novel Red Mars warns, we must first learn to live sustainably on our own planet before attempting to colonize another world. The logic of resource utilization subtly inverts the problem – planetary overshoot becomes a licence to expand it.
The US Space Act permits the mining of asteroids as if they were open seams of ore, and Nasa's moon rock returns have justified space property rights. This trend risks exporting humanity's old politics to new worlds with disastrous consequences. Can we escape Earth but not ourselves? Only by understanding this can we hope to create a future where space exploration is guided by sustainability, not exploitation.
they're always about who's gonna control the resources and not about actually helping humanity 
like, what even is the point of colonizing another planet if we can't take care of our own? We gotta stop thinking about exploiting space for profit and start thinking about how to live sustainable lives on Earth first 
I mean come on, Elon Musk's got a $1.5 trillion valuation for SpaceX in 2026 but what good is all that money if we're just gonna pollute the whole galaxy? 
And can we please stop calling it a "space race" it's just a fancy term for competition and greed 
let's call it out for what it is instead of pretending like there's some noble prize to be won
it's crazy how we're already talking about "space as a resource" like it's no big deal 
. I mean, don't get me wrong, the idea of having an alternative to Earth's resources is super appealing, but let's take a step back and think about what this means for our planet. We should be trying to figure out how to live more sustainably here before we start trying to colonize other worlds 
! I mean, come on, we're still figuring out how to take care of our own planet before we start treating other planets like all-you-can-eat buffet 
. But seriously, $1.5 trillion for SpaceX? That's like trying to buy a whole new galaxy 
...just saying' 
!
let's not forget why we're even here in the first place... 