On 6 Nov, 13:27, "Mark R. Whittington" wrote:
Recently, during an address on the space economy to coincide with the
fiftieth anniversary of the start of the space age, NASA Administrator
Michael Griffin made the assertion that China would beat the United
States to the Moon.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/art...ina_beat_the_u...

this is the third time (after a Congress audition and an university
speech) that Mr. Griffin says that

I think it's right... China will win the new ("commercial", not
"military" like in '60s) "moon race"

some thinks he repeat this "alarm" to force the politics to give more
funds to NASA and more quickly

but, unfortunately for NASA and USA (and also for Europe and Russia)
China will win the race since:

1. the russian hardware is too old and they don't invest enough money
to renew it

2. the european efforts for (orbital and lunar) manned flights (with
european vehicles) is nearly ZERO

3. only USA has enough money to go back on the moon, but the NASA
plans and strategy is too much SLOW and COMPLEX

..