By andrew rose
September 11, 2025 – Washington, D.C.
In a bold move underscoring the intensifying geopolitical tensions in space, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has effectively barred Chinese nationals—even those holding valid U.S. visas—from accessing its facilities, networks, and research programs. The decision, first reported by Bloomberg News and confirmed by NASA officials, marks a significant escalation in the U.S.-China rivalry, as both superpowers vie for lunar dominance amid fears of espionage and technological theft. This comes at a critical juncture, with the U.S. Artemis program racing against China’s ambitious crewed lunar plans, potentially reshaping global power dynamics for decades.
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The restrictions took effect abruptly on September 5, catching many affected individuals off guard. Chinese contractors, graduate students, and university-affiliated scientists—who had previously contributed to NASA projects under strict oversight—suddenly found themselves locked out of IT systems, denied entry to facilities, and excluded from both in-person and virtual meetings.It was like flipping a switch,” one anonymous source told Bloomberg, describing the shock of being sidelined from ongoing collaborations without prior notice
NASA Press Secretary Bethany Stevens addressed the policy in a statement to reporters on September 10, emphasizing national security imperatives. “NASA has taken internal action pertaining to Chinese nationals, including restricting physical and cybersecurity access to our facilities, materials, and network to ensure the security of our work,” she said. The agency has long prohibited direct employment of Chinese citizens due to U.S. law (Public Law 118-42, Section 526), which bans bilateral cooperation with China’s government-run space entities without congressional approval.
However, visa-holding individuals without ties to Beijing’s state-owned enterprises had been permitted limited roles as contractors or researchers—until now.
This isn’t NASA’s first brush with such curbs. Since 2011, appropriations laws have embedded clauses in grants and contracts warning of ineligibility for those engaging in “bilateral activity” with China.
Exceptions were rare, like the 2023 waiver allowing U.S. scientists to study samples from China’s Chang’e-5 lunar mission.
But recent espionage allegations have tipped the scales. High-profile cases, including U.S. Navy personnel selling military secrets to China and probes into Chinese scientists at American universities, have fueled paranoia in Washington.
Visa approvals for Chinese STEM students have plummeted, with many facing denials or entry bans despite clearances.
The timing couldn’t be more charged. NASA’s acting administrator, Sean Duffy—appointed by President Donald Trump—framed the restrictions within the broader “second space race” narrative during a September 10 press conference on Mars rover findings. “We’re in a second space race right now,” Duffy declared. “The Chinese want to get back to the moon before us. That’s not going to happen.”
He reiterated U.S. ambitions to land astronauts via the Artemis III mission by late 2026, vowing a permanent lunar presence before Trump’s term ends.
This rhetoric echoes bipartisan alarms on Capitol Hill. At a September 3 Senate Commerce Committee hearing titled “There’s a Bad Moon on the Rise,” Chairman Ted Cruz (R-Texas) warned that China’s lunar edge could “pose a profound risk to America.” Witnesses, including former NASA officials, testified that U.S. delays—tied to SpaceX’s Starship setbacks and budget constraints—give China a one-in-three shot at landing first.
NASA’s fiscal 2025 budget sits at $24.875 billion, a mere 0.4% of federal spending—far from the 4% Apollo-era peak.
Critics argue this underfunding, coupled with Trump’s proposed cuts to non-military programs, hampers progress.
China, undeterred, is accelerating. Beijing’s Chang’e program has notched milestones: the 2019 far-side landing, 2020 sample return, and 2024’s Chang’e-6 probe retrieving far-side rocks.
The China Manned Space Agency eyes taikonauts on the moon by 2030, followed by the International Lunar Research Station—a joint venture with Russia.
Last month, China tested its Long March-10 rocket for crewed lunar flights. Director of China’s Manned Space Agency dismissed U.S. fears last year as “unnecessary,” insisting exploration is a “collective mission for humanity.”
At stake? More than prestige. The moon’s south pole holds water ice—vital for fuel, breathable air, and life support—plus rare earths, titanium, and helium-3 for fusion energy.
The 1967 Outer Space Treaty bars sovereignty claims, but the U.S. Artemis Accords (signed by 40+ nations, excluding China) permit resource extraction without territorial grabs.
Beijing rejects this, viewing it as American overreach. “If China arrives first, they could declare ‘keep-out’ zones,” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson warned in 2023, echoing fears of militarized lunar outposts.
Broader U.S.-China frictions amplify the drama. Trump’s administration has slashed climate funding while boosting military space, including hypersonic weapons and satellite defenses. China’s Tiangong station and anti-satellite tests signal dual-use tech—civilian by day, strategic by night.
Duffy’s internal memo urged staff: “Don’t let safety be the enemy of progress,” prioritizing speed over caution.
Yet, experts caution against zero-sum thinking. “Space exploration benefits us all,” astrophysicist Jacco van Loon noted, highlighting potential for shared Mars ambitions by the 2030s.
Collaboration persists in multilateral forums, but bilateral trust erodes. As Duffy told employees, “America has led in space… and we are going to continue to lead.”
The ban’s fallout? Disrupted research, talent flight, and ethical debates over profiling. Chinese-American scientists fear guilt by association, while universities scramble to pivot grants. Globally, it signals a bifurcated space era: U.S.-led alliances versus a Sino-Russian bloc.
As rovers probe Mars and probes circle the moon, one truth endures: The stars aren’t big enough for two wary giants. Will Artemis plant the flag first, or will Chang’e rewrite history? America News World will track this celestial showdown.