Editor's Note: The Artemis I launch was delayed after the publication of this article. It subsequently launched Nov. 16, 2022, with the Orion spacecraft completing its first flyby of the moon Nov. 21, 2022, and splashing down in the Pacific Ocean on Dec. 11, 2022. Through NASA's long-awaited Artemis program, the United States is seeking to secure its lead in the new space race, as a combination of technological advancements and the potential for lucrative natural resources on the moon and other planetary bodies draw more countries to venture beyond Earth's atmosphere — with the United States' top geopolitical rivals, China and Russia, being chief among them. After many delays, the first major mission launch under NASA's Artemis lunar exploration program has been scheduled for Aug. 29, with Sept. 2 and Sept. 5 as the backup launch windows.