A private U.S. lunar lander mission is doomed to fail, and NASA pushes back plans to return astronauts to the Moon.
The twin developments Tuesday represent blows to U.S. ambitions to stimulate a commercial space economy, develop a lasting presence on Earth's nearest neighbor, and use it as a jump off point for Mars.
China meanwhile is looming in the rear view mirror, targeting 2030 for a crewed landing.
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