NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman told the Air & Space Forces Association conference near Washington, DC that the agency must be more selective in forging international partnerships. The race to the Moon has shifted from a battle for prestige to a high-stakes competition for extraterrestrial real estate and resources at the lunar south pole. This region, roughly the size of Washington, DC, contains water ice in permanently shadowed craters and select ridges with near-continuous sunlight for power generation.

Isaacman warned that China, partnered with Russia, plans to place a nuclear reactor there and could deny the U.S. access to this critical training environment for Mars missions. "We're only doing good deals," Isaacman said, citing President Donald Trump's directive. He criticized past efforts to "make everyone happy" that became "a drag on the mission." A model "good deal" is NASA's March agreement with Italy, committing over $5 billion for a lunar habitation module, which will secure seats for two Italian astronauts on the surface. Japan is also pursuing similar targeted contributions.