U.S.-Russia cooperation aboard the International Space Station is hopefully a glimpse of how two nations at an all-time-low in relations can still cooperate on shared interests. However, whether or not this may foreshadow a future for China and the U.S. in orbit is another question.

China’s recent achievements in space exploration are starkly contrasted with privately led efforts at the center of American aerospace development, and highlight how the two nations remain on separate tracks in the field of science.

The article details the history and hopeful future of the Chinese Space Program which will likely soon include a manned lunar mission. The program overall has, to some degree, emulated the step-by-step approach of the Apollo program; but, key differences, partnerships, and planning have shaped the slow growing but ultimately successful program. The Chinese space community learned a great deal from Apollo, including how not to get politically backed into in a corner as the U.S. did in its Cold War quest to “beat the Russians” in space.

The rapidly developing Chinese space program contains several misconceptions including China is looking to extend military power, China is weaponizing space and that Chinese space activity is a threat to the US. As Zhao Weibin explains, China, has only peaceful space goals.