NASA has barred Chinese citizens with valid US visas from entering its facilities, a move that effectively blocks them from working at one of the world’s most prestigious space research agencies.
According to Bloomberg, Chinese nationals—who were previously able to contribute as contractors or student researchers—discovered on September 5 that their access to NASA’s systems and facilities had been revoked. The agency later confirmed the restriction, saying it was to safeguard its “facilities, materials, and networks” in the interest of security.
The decision comes as China’s rapidly advancing space program intensifies competition with the US. Washington has already barred NASA from collaborating with China, excluding Chinese astronauts from the International Space Station (ISS). The latest measure further deepens the decline in scientific cooperation between the two nations amid mounting national security concerns.
In recent years, US authorities have grown increasingly cautious of Chinese students and researchers, especially in science and technology fields, with visa approvals tightening and reports of espionage investigations on the rise. Bloomberg reported that Chinese nationals at NASA suddenly found themselves locked out of data systems and banned from participating in meetings—both in person and online—without prior notice.
NASA press secretary Bethany Stevens confirmed that “internal action” had been taken, including restrictions on both physical access and cybersecurity privileges for Chinese nationals.
The move highlights the growing space rivalry between Washington and Beijing. China has openly declared its ambition to send astronauts back to the Moon, a goal NASA insists it will beat them to. “We’re in a second space race,” acting NASA administrator Sean Duffy said at a press briefing on Wednesday. “The Chinese want to get back to the Moon before us. That’s not going to happen.”
Beijing has repeatedly dismissed US concerns. A senior official from China’s Manned Space Agency previously called American suspicions “unnecessary,” framing space exploration as a collective mission for humanity.
But US lawmakers have taken a different stance. At a Senate hearing last week, Senator Ted Cruz warned that if China were to achieve “dominant space capabilities,” it would pose a grave risk to America.
Beyond prestige, the race to the Moon is about resources. The lunar surface holds valuable minerals, including rare earth elements, metals such as iron and titanium, and helium—crucial for technologies ranging from superconductors to medical equipment.
