The United States is “very much in a space race right now” against China, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman told CBS News’ “Face the Nation” on Sunday, as the two nations attempt to land astronauts on the moon and secure a near-permanent presence on the lunar surface. “The Chinese are moving at incredible speeds, and they are certainly capable of doing what the Soviets were not during the first space race,” Isaacman said. “The Chinese will land their taikonauts on the moon. There’s no question.”

Isaacman stressed that “the question is, will the United States return before them, and will we do so in a different way this time, when we build a base, establish that enduring presence? I think the answer is yes.” After four astronauts looped around the moon on the Artemis II mission in April, NASA earlier this month announced the crew for the next Artemis mission, scheduled for next year, CBS News reported. The Artemis III mission, which aims to test critical lunar landing systems, will be an important milestone before the U.S. sends astronauts back to the moon in 2028.

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