Media: The US is falling behind in the space race due to delays in SpaceX's space program
Russian Satellite News Agency, Moscow, September 21 - According to a report by The New York Times citing experts, due to the delay of SpaceX's lunar project, which is under a federal contract with NASA, the US is falling behind in the space race.
The report said: "SpaceX's lunar lander project is seriously behind schedule, and there is increasing doubt about whether the US can surpass China, which has its own plan aiming to land on the moon by 2030."
According to a former NASA executive interviewed by the newspaper, SpaceX's target rocket "Starship" still needs several years to be ready. In addition, "Starship" has not yet transported astronauts or commercial cargo, and in the recent four tests, three have ended in explosions.
Experts said that Musk's ambitious manned moon landing plan faces another dilemma: the plan relies on an unprecedented space refueling technology, which former NASA engineers consider to be highly risky and significantly delayed, possibly requiring several years to be ready. Former NASA employees also admitted that part of the problem was that they chose a lunar landing plan that was overly complex and too risky.
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1843852916983872/
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