NASA Chief Bill Nelson | Image:AP/ File Photo

New Delhi: Amid escalating tension of armed war in various parts of the world, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Chief Bill Nelson has flagged serious concerns, claiming that China has its military presence in space. Cautioning that Washington must remain vigilant, the NASA chief has also reportedly said that Beijing was using its civilian space programmes to mask military objectives. 

Apparently, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson told US lawmakers, stating, “China has made extraordinary strides especially in the last 10 years, but they are very, very secretive. We believe that a lot of their so-called civilian space program is a military program. And I think, in effect, we are in a race.”

US needs to land on the Moon again before China does, says Bill Nelson

While being hopeful that Beijing would “come to its senses and understand that civilian space is for peaceful uses”, Nelson asserted, “We have not seen that demonstrated by China.”

Nelson’s comments, while informing about the threat, came as he testified before the House appropriations committee on Nasa’s budget for 2025 on Capitol Hill.

He also added that the US needs to land on the Moon again before China does, as China may claim the occupancy. Voicing the apprehension that if Beijing were to reach the moon first, they might say, “Alright, this belongs to us, keep out.”

Nelson had earlier said that the US was engaged “in a space race” with China and had cautioned that China could eventually assert its claim to “own” the moon’s resource-rich region.

Notably, in 2022, China set up an Earth-orbiting space station, mounting several lunar orbiting and sample-retrieving missions in the year. Subsequently, the US has been strategising to send astronauts back to the moon in 2026 on its Artemis III mission.

China, on the other hand, aims to land humans on the moon by 2030.

Nelson said he was confident the US would not lose its “global edge” in space exploration.

“But you got to be realistic,” he said. “China has really thrown a lot of money at it and they’ve got a lot of room in their budget to grow.