NASA accuses China of 'hiding military projects' in space as it warns of 'extraordinary strides'

NASA has criticized China for its "secretive" activities in space, alleging that the Asian superpower is concealing military projects.

The US agency's chief, Bill Nelson, explained to a US budget committee the critical need for America to reach the moon ahead of China, with fears rising regarding the latter's alleged collaboration with Russia to establish a nuclear power base on the lunar surface.

Though it might sound like a plot out of an old-school James Bond flick, NASA has deemed the potential control of the moon by China and Russia as a tangible threat, prompting Nelson to voice his concerns.

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"We believe that a lot of their so-called civilian space programme is a military programme," he cautioned. "China has made extraordinary strides, especially in the last 10 years, but they are very, very secretive."

While speculation abounds over the true nature of these "secretive plans", Nelson's warnings follow earlier reports suggesting China's ambitions to venture to the moon and construct their own nuclear station. Nelson further alerted about the ongoing space race involving the USA and China in which he anticipates that the latter will reach the moon before this decade's close.

He continued: "The latest date they've said they're going to land [on the moon] is 2030 but that keeps moving up. It is incumbent on us to get there first and to utilise our research efforts for peaceful purposes," reports the Daily Star .

Should the US lag behind in the space race, there's a risk that China might monopolise the Moon, the expert further warned. "My concern would be if China got there first and said, 'This is our territory, you stay out'.

"Obviously, you don't want to interfere with each other but don't declare that this whole territory is suddenly yours. I would hope that the Chinese space programme will come to its senses and understand that civilian space is for peaceful uses but we have not seen that demonstrated."

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