Only Elliott on his bike had ever come this close to the Moon before. In his basket, he carried E.T., the alien dreamed up by Steven Spielberg in the 1980s that has since inspired generations.
The astronauts of the Artemis II mission, on the other hand, revealed the far side of the Moon, confirming that even in such complicated times, we can still look up and imagine other worlds.

The Orion capsule splashed down near San Diego, California, after traveling 694,481 miles—a record distance since the Apollo 13 mission in 1970. It traveled at Mach 33, or 33 times the speed of sound, a velocity never reached before.

This was also a success for NASA, which in recent years seemed destined to give way to large private companies with celestial ambitions. The results are clear: from new high-definition images of the lunar surface, captured from a perspective not seen since the Apollo era, to crucial advances in the integrity of the heat shield during reentry—a key step following the critical issues that emerged during the previous uncrewed test flight.

The (geo)political implications remain in the background, yet they are still decisive. In an era of cutthroat competition, in which the United States and China—but not only them—are locked in a fierce rivalry and Europe is revealing its full vulnerability, this mission has united the Western front, which has also been severely tested by wars. The U.S. and the EU collaborated on the project, making the mission possible. The spacecraft’s engine was designed by ESA and built by European companies, with Italy supplying essential components. The European agency is also building the future space station in lunar orbit.

The Artemis program represents the American effort to reestablish leadership in deep space, featuring lunar bases and infrastructure capable of supporting long-duration missions and—as relaunched by President Donald Trump—serving as a springboard to Mars. It is a vision that combines international alliances with soft power.

 

 

 

China is moving forward with a quieter but equally ambitious strategy. In 2024, the Chinese Chang'e-6 probe completed a historic mission, returning the first rock and soil samples from the "dark" side of the Moon. Beijing is aiming to establish an alternative international lunar base, positioning itself as a hub for emerging nations.

In a world increasingly dependent on data, connectivity, and smart systems, space orbits and technologies become critical infrastructure as well as energy frontiers. The Moon, in particular, sits at the center of interest due to its potential resources, such as helium-3, a promising fuel for next-generation nuclear fusion.

It is no longer just a matter of prestige. The stakes of every space mission involve the balance of power: who will set technological standards, who will control access to resources, and who will manage critical infrastructure.

Yet, one image towers above all competition: the Earth as seen from the Moon. At this stage, the words of Artemis mission commander Reid Wiseman carry as much weight as those of a head of state:

 

"We really hoped,
deep down in our hearts,
that we could stop the world,
even if just for a moment,
and remember that this is a beautiful planet
and a truly special place in our universe,
and that we should all appreciate
what we have been given."

 

Who knows whether the world’s leaders managed to look past their finger, as the saying goes, and take a good hard look at the Moon.