Apollo To Artemis: Why America Is Betting Big On Private Space

While NASA's public-private strategy for space has had some success, it also carries the risk of the United States falling behind its principal space rival, China, in achieving major milestones including the next crewed mission to land on the Moon (Credit: AFP)

A private Houston-based company is set this week to lead a mission to the Moon which, if successful, will mark America's first lunar landing since the end of the Apollo era five decades ago.

Reputation will be on the line when Intuitive Machines' Nova-C spaceship will launch atop a SpaceX rocket on Wednesday, following recent completed touchdowns by China, India and Japan.