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>>rbanff+(OP)
This space race is different for one core reason: China is more stable than the Soviet Union was in the 1960s.

If we beat the Chinese somehow, I don't think they'll just dismantle their space program and focus on Earth. They'll keep going, and they have the economic base to expand their program.

I think we're seeing the beginning of a new kind of space race. It's likely to be much longer term and grander in scale over time, as we compete for the best spots on the Moon and the first human landing on Mars in the decades to come.

>>hdivid+ef
Do we already know what the best spots on the Moon are or will that be determined by the early missions doing survey?

>>arjie+0g
Yes to both I'd say. The south polar region will be contested because of the presence of water-ice and abundant sunlight.