As Artemis 2 prepares to blast off to the moon tonight, this is what it means for Nasa's hopes of beating the cavalier Chinese to the lunar surface... and then Mars beyond, writes former Astronomer Royal MARTIN REES 

The 1969 landing took place just 12 years after the Soviet satellite Sputnik I became the first craft launched into low earth orbit.

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Apr 1, 2026 - 02:03
As Artemis 2 prepares to blast off to the moon tonight, this is what it means for Nasa's hopes of beating the cavalier Chinese to the lunar surface... and then Mars beyond, writes former Astronomer Royal MARTIN REES 
The 1969 landing took place just 12 years after the Soviet satellite Sputnik I became the first craft launched into low earth orbit.
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