China is rapidly advancing toward its first crewed lunar landing by 2030, developing new spacecraft, rockets, and spacesuits. Its steady progress rivals NASA’s Artemis program, raising geopolitical stakes and highlighting Beijing’s growing technological, strategic, and symbolic ambitions in space exploration
While chair of the House space subcommittee, Nelson flew aboard the space shuttle Columbia as a payload specialist on the STS-61C mission in 1986. He was appointed to the NASA Advisory Council by former Administrator Jim Bridenstine in May 2019.
