The first time was purely for bragging rights. This time’s for keeps. We’re all going back to the moon with a look to exploiting and/or colonizing it, and the first one to get there gets to claim the best real estate.
The Chinese in particular wouldn’t be doing this without an eye on a long-term strategic goal.
Just stay away from that black rectangle slab thingy.
"It has not been ratified by any state that engages in self-launched human spaceflight (i.e., the United States, Russia (or its predecessor the Soviet Union), or the People's Republic of China) since its creation on December 18, 1979, and thus it has little to no relevancy in international law. As of May 2024, 17 states are parties to the treaty."
I'd like to see the US serious about what looks to be Space Race 2. There's all too many DEI types populating NASA these days, imo.