The new Space Race: Which countries want to colonize the Moon and Mars

Several countries are keen to put humans on the Moon and on Mars, and it’s getting called the new Space Race.

The USA and China are particularly keen to set up colonies on the Red Planet and our natural satellite.

But in the race to populate them, there’s a lot to take into consideration.

So the question remains – which country will come on top in this rush to space colonization?

EXPLORE SBX CARS – Supercar auctions starting soon powered by Supercar Blondie

Who’s making it to the Moon first?

Ever since man stepped foot on the Moon back in 1969, we’ve been itching to go back.

As Earth’s only natural satellite, it’s been floated as a second home many times.

And we’re not just talking about in works of science fiction – this is something that is seriously being considered.

Several benefits have been offered up for this endeavor.

Scientists at the European Space Agency suggested that it could be a good place to store human DNA in case of a worldwide disaster back on Earth.

The Moon’s lack of atmosphere also makes it a great candidate for unobstructed views of the solar system – a great spot for some observatories.

The Moon is also rich is resources which could be used in multiple ways, whether it’s fueling space exploration or as an energy source back on Earth.

Interest in Moon colonization has been bubbling for decades, but has found renewed enthusiasm in the past two decades.

At this point, there are several players in the fray, including the United States, Japan, Russia, China, and India.

Russia was planning to have a permanent base set up this year, while the US was aiming for 2028 and Japan had 2030 in mind.

However, a number of challenges have arisen.

For a start, the harsh lunar environment isn’t particularly inviting – extreme temperatures, and lack of protection from meteorites, to name just two.

Then there’s the potential impact that living on the Moon could have on humans, due to long-term exposure to low gravity.

So with all of that in mind, which country looks likely to be the first?

It’s looking likely that it’ll either be the US or China.

The former would likely be in conjunction with private companies like SpaceX, whereas China would likely be working with Russia.

Then again, Elon Musk is of the opinion that the race for the Moon is a ‘distraction’.

Where does he think we should be focusing our energy?

Speaking on X earlier this year, Musk declared: “No, we’re going straight to Mars. The Moon is a distraction.”

No, we’re going straight to Mars. The Moon is a distraction.

Mass to orbit is the key metric, thereafter mass to Mars surface. The former needs to be in the megaton to orbit per year range to build a self-sustaining colony on Mars.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 3, 2025

Moving to Mars – is the Red Planet ready to be our new home?

The case for colonizing Mars sounds like a promising one at first glance.

Aerospace engineer Robert Zubrin has repeatedly made the case, including in a series of books.

In a 1996 article for Ad Astra, he argued it was a better option over the Moon.

“In contrast to the Moon, Mars is rich in carbon, nitrogen, hydrogen and oxygen, all in biologically readily accessible forms such as carbon dioxide gas, nitrogen gas, and water ice and permafrost,” he wrote.

“The Moon is also deficient in about half the metals of interest to industrial society (copper, for example), as well as many other elements of interest such as sulfur and phosphorus.”

It doesn’t hurt that the Red Planet looks remarkably similar to Earth too.

Sounds promising, right?

Well, different companies and organizations are keen on the idea, including SpaceX, Mars One, and NASA.

Countries in the mix include the United Arab Emirates, the United States, China, and India.

However, moving to Mars wouldn’t be without its complications.

Dr. Scott Solomon warned that humans living on the planet would undergo strange evolutionary changes.

Children of Mars settlers could be burdened with green skin, reduced muscle strength, weakened vision and brittle bones.

Not that this will do much to diminish enthusiasm for the project.

After all, just last year NASA announced that it’d created a humanoid robot which would help humans establish a long-term presence on Mars.

Looks like we’ll just have to figure out how to work around that green skin issue.

DISCOVER SBX CARS: The global premium car auction platform powered by Supercar Blondie