As America Celebrates Apollo, A New Moon Race Is Underway
More nations than ever are racing to the moon. Their lunar ambitions are driven by advances in technology and a desire to prove themselves.
On Dec. 14, 1972, a capsule carrying Apollo 17 astronauts Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt lifted off from the lunar surface.
It was the day that humans left the moon.
For a long while, they didn't come back, but that's changing. China, India and even smaller nations like Israel and South Korea are all pursuing robotic moon missions. Their lunar ambitions are being driven both by a desire to flex their technological muscles and by the rise of global nationalism.
"Every country is going to be saying, 'Look at the things we can do in space,' ", with the Planetary Society, which promotes space exploration.
