8 Apr 2026 Asia Specific
Nasa’s Artemis II lunar mission shows a renewed US focus on the Moon, but it’s not the only major power seeking to send a crew there.

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China has been steadily building its space capabilities and is aiming to land its own astronauts, or taikonauts, on the Moon by 2030.

More than 50 years after the Apollo missions, both the US and China are working towards a sustained human presence on the Moon and eventually Mars.

So is this a new space race and can the world’s two superpowers ever work together?

In this episode of Asia Specific, host Mariko Oi speaks with astrophysicist Dr Brad Tucker from the Australian National University and BBC journalist Kethaki Masilamani to break down the significance of Artemis II, how China compares to the US in space, and what this growing competition could mean for the future of exploration, technology, and security.

00:00 Introduction
01:30 Why is Artemis II so important?
02:30 Updates on the Artemis II mission
03:05 Interview: Artemis II astronaut on seeing the far side of the Moon
04:10 Missions to Mars
05:10 Was China a factor in Artemis II mission?
06:12 Where is China now in space technology?
07:05 How did China space program advance so quickly?
08:01 China’s space spending and cost strategy
09:14 China’s state-led model vs US private space companies
10:31 Why are the US and China racing back to the Moon?
11:43 US and China timelines of space missions
13:13 How satellites are used in warfare
14:20 Beyond the US and China – other space players
15:41 Could China overtake the US in space?
17:03 Can the US and China collaborate in space?

Watch more episodes of Asia Specific here 👉🏽 • Asia Specific

Instagram: @bbcworldservice
Email: asiaspecific@bbc.co.uk
Presenter: Mariko Oi
Producers: Derek Cai, Rachel Lee
Camera: Rosalehin Bin Rosli, Khairul Danish Bin Mohd Roslee, Aimran Supardi, Syaik Muhammad Sidik
Editor: Bill Birtles

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