Behind the race to get Americans back on the moon

With astronauts set to fly around the moon for the first time in more than half a century when Artemis 2 makes its ascent sometime this spring, 2026 was already destined to become a standout year in space.

- By Richard Luscombe MIAMI

It is likely to be one of the most pivotal, with new leadership at Nasa in billionaire private astronaut Jared Isaacman and the tycoon-led private space industry assuming more than a supporting role to help the US win its race with China to the lunar surface.

Along with Donald Trump's directive for "American space superiority", which includes planting the stars and stripes on the moon before the end of his second term, it marks the beginning of potentially the most consequential period in human spaceflight.

"This past year was actually a sense of defining, at least a turning point, for the Artemis programme, firmly placing it as a priority and framing it explicitly as a race against China," said Casey Dreier, director of space policy at the Planetary Society.

"Now it's about execution, and I think it's going to see whether Jared Isaacman is going to be able to bring a certain kind of different approach and actually see results rapidly."