Summary:
- Russia's Luna 25, a robotic lunar mission, aims to land on the moon's south side to confirm the presence of frozen water.
- NASA's Artemis program plans to land astronauts on the moon's south pole in 2025 to utilize ice deposits.
- China is also participating in the new space race and has plans for moon exploration.
- Artemis astronauts are set to orbit the moon and inspect the Orion spaceship for future missions.
- The ultimate goal is to establish a moon base camp as a stepping stone for Mars exploration.
- International concerns arise as the space race accelerates between the U.S. and China.
Now orbiting the moon, Luna 25 is Russia's first robotic lunar mission in nearly 50 years. Russia never landed cosmonauts on the moon, but within days, Luna will be the first probe to land on the moon's south side, working to confirm the presence of frozen water which could one day be used for rocket fuel. Ahead of Russia's space agency says the moon could be the launching pad to explore distant planets, including Mars. Russia has just launched a probe to land on the South Pole. NASA chief Bill Nelson says that ice is why the U.S. plans to land Artemis astronauts in 2025, but China is also aiming for the pole. I don't want China to get to the South Pole first with humans and then say this is ours, stay out. Is this starting to feel real? That's real, that's it. It's starting to feel very, very real. At the Kennedy Space Center, the Artemis two astronauts, the first crew who will orbit the moon since Apollo, have now inspected the Orion spaceship that will take them there next year. We're all smiles of course, it's pretty inspiring moment. NASA's goal, similar to what Russia and China are planning. Ultimately, NASA wants to create an Artemis base camp on the moon and use that to go to Mars. Tom, I think the space race is really between us and China and we need to protect the interest of the international community. Nelson insists the U.S. would never lock out others, but the new space race is accelerating. Tom Costello, NBC News at the Kennedy Space Center.