Race to the lunar South: world powers renew ambitions with next-generation lunar missions

Next week, India and Russia will conduct lunar missions targeting the uncharted south pole of the Moon.

This reflects a renewed global enthusiasm for moon missions, with goals such as establishing bases and utilizing lunar resources.

Nations like the US, China, and European Space Agency (ESA) members are planning return trips to the Moon, including the potential for manned missions – something not achieved since 1972.

Six orbiters currently surround the Moon, gathering data for future missions. India and Russia hope to mark the first successful south pole lunar landing next week.

India’s Chandrayaan-3 mission, launched on July 14, entered lunar orbit on August 5.

If successful, India will become the fourth country to touch the lunar surface, following the US, Russia, and China.

Russia’s Luna-25 mission, launched on August 11, represents the nation’s revived lunar efforts after a hiatus since 1976.

Both missions aim to refine landing techniques and collect surface samples, especially looking for ice water in sun-deprived craters.

The next three years might see ten more moon missions, highlighting increasing international interest in the Moon with even bolder goals.

While previous missions focused on scientific exploration, future ventures might involve various stakeholders with interests in lunar resource utilization, as noted by India’s space agency.

Many view the Moon as a stepping stone for deep space exploration, including Mars.

NASA’s Artemis program, collaborating with Canada, the EU, and others, intends to gather information and establish a lunar base for missions to Mars and beyond.

A human return to the Moon is expected by 2025, over 50 years after Apollo-17’s last visit in 1972.

China, which started its manned lunar landing phase, envisions landing astronauts by 2030.

Collaborating with Russia, China plans a research base at the Moon’s south pole, operational by 2035, to delve deeper into celestial studies.

Increasing lunar traffic poses challenges. With overlapping orbiter paths, there’s a need for coordinated efforts to avoid collisions.

Landing remains complex, with potential mission failures and significant financial losses, as evidenced by Japan’s Ispace in April and India’s Chandrayaan-2 in 2019.