Part 4/13:
Despite recent renewed interest, including NASA's Artemis program, there's skepticism about the genuine motives for returning to the lunar surface. The original lunar missions ceased because once the geopolitical objective was met, the political will and justification for continued expenditure disappeared. The focus shifted elsewhere, with no economic or defense reasons compelling enough to warrant further lunar exploration.
The latest push to go back appears to be partly driven by fear of China’s space ambitions. China's plans to land astronauts on the Moon have spurred the U.S. and allies to respond. This strategic rivalry suggests that the new lunar push is less about science and more about geopolitical posturing.