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The U.S. space agency NASA has officially barred Chinese nationals from working within its programs, escalating the ongoing rivalry between Washington and Beijing over space exploration. The new policy was revealed after several Chinese contractors and students were abruptly locked out of NASA systems and denied access to meetings on September 5, according to Bloomberg News.
NASA later confirmed the move, stating it had restricted both physical and cybersecurity access for Chinese nationals to protect sensitive data and research.
"NASA has taken internal action to ensure the security of our work," said agency press secretary Bethany Stevens, emphasizing that the measure was necessary amid heightened concerns over national security.
Until now, Chinese citizens were allowed to work with NASA only as contractors or student researchers, with no eligibility for direct employment. The sudden ban left many without warning, cutting them off from ongoing projects and data systems overnight.
The decision comes as the space race between the U.S. and China intensifies. Both nations are pushing toward crewed missions to the Moon, with Washington aiming for a 2027 Artemis program landing, while Beijing targets 2030 for its "taikonauts."
NASA's acting administrator Sean Duffy highlighted the stakes during a Wednesday press briefing, saying:
"We're in a second space race. The Chinese want to return to the Moon before us, that's not going to happen."
The rivalry extends beyond lunar exploration. China is preparing a robotic Mars sample return mission for 2028, potentially retrieving Martian rocks by 2031. Meanwhile, the Trump administration has floated the idea of replacing a planned joint Mars mission with a crewed alternative, though details remain unclear.
Relations between the two countries have been strained by allegations of espionage and technological theft. Recent cases involving Chinese scientists have fueled Washington's fears that advanced space research could be exploited for military purposes.
Chinese officials have dismissed U.S. concerns as exaggerated. The director of China's Manned Space Agency previously called space exploration a "collective mission for humanity", urging international cooperation rather than competition.
