'Apollo Programme On Steroids:' Analysts Weigh On New US-Japan Lunar Mission To Outshine China

Analysts react to Japan’s newly announced plans with the U.S. to send an astronaut to the moon in a move to outpace China in the space race.

What Happened: President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida have recently disclosed Japan’s collaboration with the U.S. to launch an astronaut to the moon by 2028, and another by 2032, South China Morning Post reported on Monday. This strategic move is seen as an attempt to thwart China from claiming a significant triumph in space exploration.

“Beijing is likely to perceive this as a direct challenge,” stated Lance Gatling, president of Nexial Research and an aerospace and defence analyst.

China has been ramping up its efforts for future lunar missions, with plans to dispatch an unmanned lunar probe to the moon’s far side as early as next month, and astronauts by 2030.

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The joint Japan-U.S. initiative is part of the Artemis lunar exploration programme, which aims to lay the groundwork for future space exploration. Japan has committed to developing and maintaining a pressurised lunar rover’s operations, while the U.S. will offer flight opportunities and astronaut training.

“They are acutely aware that they are in competition with China in moon exploration, so this is essentially the Apollo programme on steroids,” commented Kazuto Suzuki, a professor of science and technology policy at Tokyo University.

Why It Matters: This move follows Kishida’s push for increased technology investments in Japan. His appeal to American business leaders for greater investment in Japan’s technology sector suggests a strategic focus on strengthening Japan’s position in the global tech and space industries.

Moreover, the reliance on private companies for space exploration has been increasingly evident. The article noted that Elon Musk is currently the only individual capable of launching US astronauts into orbit, a task that neither NASA nor Boeing Co. can accomplish. This underscores the importance of international cooperation and private sector involvement in advancing space exploration.

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