US, China's race for moon position intensifies, amid NASA fears about country's satellite system

The race between the United States and China to be the dominant country on the moon will intensify within the next two years, according to NASA. 

"It is a fact: We’re in a space race,” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson recently told Politico. "And it is true that we better watch out that they don’t get to a place on the moon under the guise of scientific research," And it is not beyond the realm of possibility that they say, 'Keep out, we’re here, this is our territory.' " 

Nelson's remarks came shortly after NASA’s 26-day Artemis I mission, in which an unmanned Orion space capsule flew around the moon.

The U.S. landed astronauts on the moon in 1969. China has flow several unmanned missions to the moon since the early 2000s and starting in 2013 began putting on its surface a rover and lander, which leaders over the Communist-led country say has paved the way for a Chinese moonwalk. 

The China National Space Administration said in 2019 that it intends to build a scientific research station on the moon withing the next 10 years.

The United States military has shown concerns regarding Beijing’s development of space systems that could threaten U.S. satellites. 

"It's entirely possible they could catch up and surpass us, absolutely," Space Force Lt. Gen. Nina Armagno said last month during a visit to Australia as China was launching its 10th crew to its Shenzhou space station. "The progress they’ve made has been stunning — stunningly fast."