The space race is back on, now with more countries competing. Roughly six decades after the Soviet Union and the U.S. raced each other to get to the moon, a new competition has emerged. This time around, the focus is on the lunar south pole, where scientists have detected traces of water ice. Russia last week launched its first moon-landing spacecraft in 47 years; it’s expected to touch down in the area in the coming days. India isn’t far behind, with the goal of having a lander touch down Aug. 23. The U.S., meanwhile, is rushing to be the first country to land astronauts at the site, with a crewed mission planned for 2025. China also plans missions to the area, with and without astronauts, before the end of the decade. The area is coveted because the water could be used for rocket fuel. It could also help establish a permanent base on the moon and serve as a launchpad to Mars and beyond. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said in an interview that the area is far more treacherous than the site of the first moon landing in 1969. “It’s not like what you saw where Neil [Armstrong] and Buzz [Aldrin] were landing, constantly lit from the sun, a few craters here and there,” Nelson said.

Full story : Space race 2.0: Russia, India, China and the U.S. are heading for the lunar south pole.