The Guardian view on the new space race: humanity risks exporting its old politics to the moon | Editorial

The Space Race Revisited: A Reprise of Old Politics on the Moon

A new era of space exploration has begun, with major powers like the US and China vying for control over the moon's south pole, a strategic location offering access to "peaks of eternal light" for solar arrays and ice deposits. The emerging lunar frontier is being touted as a means to secure resources and bolster post-terrestrial economies.

However, this renewed competition risks exporting the old politics that have plagued Earth for centuries, rather than ushering in a new era of cooperation and sustainable development. The push for private-led space exploration is driving down state investment in NASA's Artemis program, with former President Donald Trump aiming to slash its budget to historic lows.

In contrast, China's International Lunar Research Station, a joint venture with Russia and global-south partners, represents a more collaborative approach that seeks to escape the American-led system. This cooperative framework claims to comply with UN rules while providing a collective platform for states to govern their lunar presence.

As the space race intensifies, both camps invoke "peaceful exploration" as a justification for competing interests. Water and moon rocks are touted as potential sources of rocket fuel, life-sustaining resources, and even construction materials. However, these claims remain largely rhetorical, serving to fuel governments' justifications for lunar spending.

The real stakes lie in the development of nuclear fission reactors on the moon, which could provide reliable energy during the 14-day lunar night essential for human bases. The US and China-Russia are racing to develop this technology, with the nation that succeeds potentially determining the balance of power in the coming century.

As humanity's resource consumption outstrips the planet's biocapacity, some argue that space exploration offers a way to sidestep ecological limits by moving energy-intensive processes off-world. Silicon Valley's tech moguls are embracing this vision, with companies like Google seeking to establish orbital datacentres powered by solar energy.

This push for off-Earth computing raises concerns about the potential for a new phase of extraction, as humanity seeks to harness the moon and other celestial bodies for energy and compute capacity. As Kim Stanley Robinson's classic sci-fi novel Red Mars cautions, we risk exporting our old politics to new worlds with disastrous consequences if we fail to prioritize sustainable development on Earth.

The echoes of Robinson's trilogy can be seen in today's space race debates – nuclear versus solar power, terraforming versus preservation. However, the lesson of Red Mars remains: before occupying another planet, humanity must first learn to live sustainably on its own. The writing is on the wall; as we embark on this new frontier, let us not repeat the mistakes of our past.

You know what's wild? I was just thinking about this the other day... have you ever tried those new lunar-themed socks they're selling online? I mean, who needs a moon colony when you can wear one on your feet?! They come in all sorts of designs, from craters to astronauts. I'm seriously considering buying a pair to see if it's true what they say about walking barefoot giving you good energy...

I'm still kinda skeptical about this whole space exploration thing . Like, I get it, resources are scarce and all that, but can't we just work together instead of trying to one-up each other? It feels like we're just transplanting old Earth problems to the moon . And what's up with these nations competing for access to this "peaks of eternal light" stuff? Sounds like a fancy way of saying "who gets to control the resources first?"

And don't even get me started on nuclear fission reactors . I mean, aren't we just playing with fire here? We're talking about building these things on the moon, which is basically a giant vacuum, and then expecting everything to be cool and safe? It's like we haven't learned anything from history.

At the same time, I can see where this is all coming from. We need energy, we need resources, and we're running out of options on Earth . Maybe off-Earth computing is the future... but let's not forget about sustainable development on our own planet . It's like, how do we prioritize?

The resurgence of space exploration has a peculiar ring to it . It's almost as if we're revisiting old politics and ideologies that have been stuck in a time warp. The push for private-led space exploration is an interesting phenomenon - on one hand, it's great to see innovation and investment from the private sector, but on the other hand, it raises concerns about who's really calling the shots here .

The development of nuclear fission reactors on the moon could be a game-changer, but let's not get carried away with the rhetoric surrounding water and moon rocks as potential sources of rocket fuel . We need to focus on more pressing issues - like sustainable development and prioritizing eco-friendly energy solutions .

I'm also intrigued by the prospect of orbital datacentres powered by solar energy - it could be a win-win for humanity, but we need to be mindful of the potential for extraction and exploitation in space . It's time to revisit the lessons from Kim Stanley Robinson's classic sci-fi trilogy and take a more nuanced approach to space exploration.

Ultimately, as we embark on this new frontier, let's not repeat the mistakes of our past - instead, let's strive for a more sustainable future that benefits all of humanity .

I'm so over how outdated this forum still is . I mean, can't they just move to a better platform already? This one's like 10 years behind the times. And don't even get me started on the formatting - it's like they're trying to make my eyes bleed with all those tiny text boxes .

And what's with all these "experts" who think they know everything about space exploration just because they've got a bunch of degrees and a fancy website? I mean, have any of them actually spent time on the moon or studied actual astrobiology? Probably not .

I'm so tired of hearing about how we need to "be sustainable" and "protect the environment". Can't people just make up their own minds without needing some sci-fi novel to tell them what's right?

I'm low-key concerned about what's going down with all these space nations trying to one-up each other . It feels like they're forgetting that we gotta take care of our own planet Earth first, ya know? Like, NASA's Artemis program is being slashed and it's not exactly the best look for us. And don't even get me started on the nuclear fission reactors – are we really gonna play with fire here?!

I'm all for space exploration and whatnot, but let's not forget that we're still dealing with some pretty serious eco stuff back home. I mean, have you seen the data on climate change lately? It's like, woah. So yeah, before we start colonizing Mars or setting up bases on the moon, can't we just figure out how to live more sustainably on our own planet for once?!

And what's with all this "peaks of eternal light" nonsense? Like, solar arrays and ice deposits are cool and all, but at what cost?! We're talking about exploiting resources here, people! Let's think about the long game and make sure we're not just transferring our problems to another planet .

So I was looking at some stats on space exploration and did you know that NASA's budget has been declining since 2018? It's like $4 billion less than 7 years ago! Meanwhile China is investing over $10 billion in their lunar research station. That's a huge difference. And the number of countries involved in the International Lunar Research Station is growing, with India and Israel joining as partners. We should be supporting international cooperation over competition.

And have you seen these pics of the moon's surface? There's some pretty cool stuff up there... did you know that 38% of the moon's surface has been mapped by NASA so far? It's still a lot to explore, though.

Also, I found this info on the benefits of solar energy in space: if we use it for computing and data storage, we can reduce our carbon emissions by up to 90%! That's a huge win. And the moon's surface temperature can get as high as 127°C during the day, which is perfect for solar panels.

But what about those nuclear fission reactors? I mean, they do provide reliable energy but we should be thinking about the long-term consequences of mining lunar resources and extracting energy from space. We don't want to repeat the mistakes of our past.

By the way, did you know that there are over 100 private companies working on lunar missions now? That's a lot of innovation happening in this space.

Oh, and one more thing: let's not forget about sustainability. As Kim Stanley Robinson said, "we must learn to live sustainably on our own" before occupying another planet.

I'm all for private companies like Google and SpaceX taking over space exploration. They're the ones who can make it more efficient and cost-effective. I mean, who needs governments and their bureaucracy getting in the way? Let's just get some actual progress happening without all the red tape

I'm all for space exploration and leveraging the moon's resources, but I gotta wonder if this whole competition thing is a recipe for disaster . It feels like we're going back to the same old politics that have plagued Earth for centuries, rather than trying something new and collaborative.

China's International Lunar Research Station is definitely a more promising model, and it'll be interesting to see how it plays out. But let's not forget that this is just the beginning – we need to make sure we're prioritizing sustainable development on Earth before we start colonizing other planets .

And can we talk about the energy sources being touted as game-changers? Nuclear fission reactors? Really? We should be focusing on solar power and renewable energy, not nuclear – it's just so... unstable . And what about the environmental impact of all this space travel and resource extraction? It feels like we're ignoring some major red flags.

I'm also a bit concerned about Silicon Valley's tech moguls getting involved in space exploration. They're already making a ton of money off our data, can't they just focus on reducing their carbon footprint instead of trying to move it to the moon?

the space race is just a bigger version of the same old earth politics - competition over resources and control it's all about who can get there first and what they can use it for rather than working together to make sure everyone benefits from exploring space

I'm low-key worried about what's going down with space exploration . Like, I get that resources and energy are super important for the future, but can't we find ways to solve those problems without having a lunar Cold War? The whole "private-led" thing is just gonna lead to more of the same old politics and stuff . China's trying to do things differently with their joint venture, but it's hard not to see the writing on the wall when they're racing to develop nuclear fission reactors ️. We need to focus on sustainable development here on Earth before we start colonizing other planets, you feel?

I'm so down for a sustainable space exploration vibe but I gotta say, all these power struggles and nationalistic moves are super concerning . Can't we just get along and work together like that China-Russia collaboration? It's like, we're still struggling to take care of our own planet, how can we just start exploiting other celestial bodies for energy and resources without thinking about the bigger picture?

And let's be real, nuclear fission reactors on the moon are a big no-go . What if it gets out of control or causes more harm than good? We need to prioritize safe and renewable energy solutions like solar power ️.

I love Kim Stanley Robinson's Red Mars trilogy too , it's all about being mindful of our impact on the environment before we start colonizing other planets. Can't we just learn from our mistakes on Earth instead of making the same ones in space?

idk why people are so hyped about getting resources from space already its like we're just moving the problem to another planet instead of solving it here earth needs to take care of itself first before trying to save the day in space

The moon's south pole, with its "peaks of eternal light" and ice deposits, serves as a symbol of humanity's existential quest for resource security ... but at what cost? We're racing to exploit these resources without considering the long-term consequences of our actions on Earth's biocapacity. It's like we're trying to outrun the very problems that led us here in the first place...

And what's this obsession with nuclear fission reactors on the moon, anyway? Is it just about ensuring a reliable energy source or is there something more sinister at play? We need to be careful not to replicate the same old power dynamics we've seen on Earth... and for goodness' sake, let's not forget that sustainable development should be our guiding principle.

I'm also worried about this push for off-Earth computing. If we start relying on the moon as a dumping ground for our energy-intensive processes, where does that leave us when our own planet can no longer support it? We need to have a more nuanced conversation about what kind of civilization we want to build... and whether that includes exploiting other celestial bodies at our own expense.

The moon's south pole might be the next frontier, but let's not forget that it's also a reflection of our own priorities. Are we using this opportunity to learn from our mistakes on Earth or are we just repeating them in space?