NASA successfully launched the Artemis II mission on April 1 US time using the Space Launch System. There were some glitches during the countdown phase but NASA was able to overcome them quickly. The rocket carries the Orion spacecraft, a next-generation crew module designed to transport four astronauts into deep space, including lunar orbit and future Mars missions. Orion is equipped with advanced life support, radiation shielding and a heat shield for safe re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere, and it is powered by the European Service Module.Artemis II is a ten-day flyby mission, meaning the spacecraft will not land on the Moon, but will travel close to it. The mission will enable unique observations of deep space and the lunar environment while supporting real-time scientific investigations. Future Artemis missions involving human landings are expected to allow detailed study of the Moon’s surface and interior through field geology, sample collection and advanced experiments, helping scientists better understand its composition, history and resources.For NASA, meeting deadlines has often been a challenge. The launch of Artemis II was initially planned between 2019 and 2021 but was delayed multiple times and has ultimately taken place now. According to current projections, Artemis III is expected to launch in 2027, while Artemis IV – set to mark the first human landing on the lunar surface under this programme – is scheduled for a 2028 launch.The success of Artemis II highlights how far human spaceflight and engineering have progressed since the era of Apollo 11. That historic achievement was led by Neil Armstrong, who became the first human to step onto the lunar surface on July 20, 1969. As he took that step, he famously declared: “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”Today, the Artemis II mission brings together advanced engineering, deep-space research and partnerships between agencies like NASA and other global space agencies, reflecting a shared vision of returning humans to the Moon. It represents a crucial step toward sustained lunar exploration and eventual human settlement, where scientific discovery, resource utilisation and technological innovation will play central roles in shaping humanity’s future in space.Simultaneously, Artemis II also reflects the revival of a modern space race. The Moon is one arena where some countries and private players are found determined to gain strategic, scientific and economic advantages. Today, the Moon has become a focal point for demonstrating technological superiority, securing potential resources from space and establishing a long-term extraterrestrial human presence.Artemis II could be viewed as a cooperative venture only in a limited sense since important space players like Russia and China are not part of this project. These states do have their own major Moon programmes and hence there is talk of a space race at this juncture.The concept of the space race is closely tied to the longstanding idea of an arms race. An arms race occurs when states rapidly expand or upgrade their military capabilities to gain strategic superiority. This idea has origins in Cold War-era geopolitics.During the Cold War, the world witnessed competition extending beyond nuclear weapons and into the technology and space domains. The first artificial satellite, Sputnik 1, was launched by the Soviet Union in 1957. This intensified their rivalry with the other power block then, led by the US, which launched their own satellite in 1958.In 1961, Yuri Gagarin became the first human to travel into space and return safely, marking a major Soviet victory in the space race. This intensified Cold War rivalry, as the US sought to reassert technological and ideological leadership over the domain of space. In response, the US accelerated its space programme, culminating in the Apollo 11 mission, when astronauts successfully landed on the Moon in 1969, demonstrating US superiority in space exploration.Should the launch of Artemis II be viewed as the emergence of a new space race, particularly with China at its centre? In a limited sense, this could even be viewed as a growing competition in space exploration, particularly for grabbing mineral resources on other planets.Hence, the question of whether there is a parallel between the current US-China space scenario and the Cold War-era space race is increasingly relevant.Today, one can draw a parallel between the Cold War-era competition amongst the US and the Soviet Union for technological dominance and the current rivalry between the US and China as a strive for leadership in space exploration. It appears that China has identified the Moon as a focal point for this rivalry and is keen to put their man/woman on the Moon before the US.China appears to recognise that space achievements today are not just about science but also about shaping global perception; especially among younger generations. For much of Gen Z, Armstrong’s historic feat during Apollo 11 feels distant and without a meaningful connection to the present. As a result, a new lunar landing carries the potential to redefine the concept of technological superiority in the present era.The China National Space Administration is pursuing its own ambitious lunar exploration plans, including the development of a research station. The Chinese Lunar Exploration Program, famously known as the Chang’e Project after the Chinese Moon goddess, is a very detailed and systematically developed programme.China has demonstrated a strong understanding of the space arena. It first established a solid presence in low earth orbit, achieving key milestones systematically. Its human spaceflight programme began in 2003, which was followed by successful spacewalks, and today it operates a fully functional space station.The Chinese Lunar Exploration Program has been carefully structured in four progressive phases. The first phase focused on observing the Moon from orbit, accomplished with the successful launches of Chang’e 1 (2007) and Chang’e 2 (2010). The second phase saw China deploying robotic landers and rovers on the lunar surface. The subsequent third and fourth phases aimed at more complex activities, including returning lunar samples to Earth. Chang’e 6 (2024) did this job.The US, under the Artemis programme, is planning a human lunar landing around 2028, while China is targeting a possible landing by 2030. The progress shown during the Chang’e programme indicates that China has generally been able to meet its projected timelines, whereas Artemis has experienced multiple delays. Some analysts suggest that the US may be accelerating the Artemis programme in order to keep pace with China’s progress in lunar exploration.It is important to note that both the US and China view the Moon not merely as a step for technological one-upmanship, but as a platform for more comprehensive strategic goals where the agendas extend beyond prestige to include scientific research, mineral exploration and the eventual establishment of human settlements. Naturally, all such initiatives must be guided by careful cost-benefit analyses required for sustained lunar activity.If China were to successfully land its astronauts (taikonauts) on the Moon before the US, it would send a powerful symbolic message of technological superiority in the space domain. Such an accomplishment would resonate strongly in today’s digital age, where social media helps in shaping perceptions.However, China has not yet conducted a human flyby mission to the Moon, and with the successful launch of Artemis II, the US has essentially taken an early lead in this emerging lunar competition.Ajey Lele is a researcher and is the author of the book Institutions That Shaped Modern India: ISRO.