NASA and China Compete for Key Moon Sites

The mission was planned for the Moon's south pole.

China did not give a detailed reason for the delay.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman welcomed the delay.

He said China was targeting the same location as NASA.

Why is this location so important?

The Shackleton Crater is near the Moon's south pole.

Its high rims create areas that sunlight never reaches.

These areas are called cold traps.

Scientists think water ice and other useful materials may be there.

That makes this part of the Moon very valuable.

So there is not much useful land in that area?

That is right. Only a few square miles matter most.

NASA and China both have plans for long-term Moon settlements.

They believe a base there could help them learn new skills.

Those skills could support travel farther into space.

Both countries also want an ongoing presence on the Moon.

What could China do if it reaches the area first?

United States officials worry China could create exclusion zones, areas people cannot enter.

Robotic probes, and later people, might be unable to enter those zones.

Chang’e 7 will carry several kinds of moving machines.

It will have rovers and small flying hopper drones, drones that jump around.

These machines could reach interesting places across the Moon.

They might also deny access to some important locations.

What does China want to learn there?

China wants to work with water ice.

It also wants to improve skills for future space travel.

Isaacman compared the future goal with Neil Armstrong's historic moment.

But the next great moment might happen on Mars, not the Moon.

Is the delay helpful for NASA?

NASA welcomed it because the two missions wanted the same area.

The delay may give NASA more time near the south pole.

But the area remains limited, and interest in it is growing.

Thank you, Jack.

Hyundai may outsell Ford in United States sales during the third quarter.

Ella is LinguaWire's correspondent for business. What do the numbers show?

Thanks, Daniel. Cox Automotive expects Hyundai to sell more vehicles than Ford.

It would be the first time Hyundai has done this in a quarter.

Hyundai's sales may rise 6.5 percent from July through September.

That would mean about 511,421 vehicles.

Ford's sales may fall 7.1 percent to about 504,172 vehicles.

That would be a very small difference. What would it mean?

Hyundai would become the third biggest car company in the United States.

General Motors and Toyota Motor would remain ahead.

Vehicle sales have been stronger than many people expected this year.

Cox raised its 2026 estimate by about 2 percent.

The new estimate is 16.1 million vehicles.

How has Ford answered this prediction?

Ford said it still sells more vehicles than Hyundai through August.

The company also discussed the fast growth of vehicles from Korea.

Hyundai, the Genesis luxury brand, and Kia have made strong progress.

Ford said building in Korea can be very helpful now.

Tariffs, taxes on imported goods, currency, worker costs, and supply chains affect that choice.

Why has Hyundai grown so much in the United States?

Hyundai's chief executive is José Muñoz.

He said passing Ford is not the company's goal.

He said the company focuses on good products and strong performance.

He also said Hyundai wants high-quality products.

Hyundai is already number three in sales around the world.

What problems are affecting Ford?

Ford has had trouble making its important F-Series pickup trucks.

Two supplier fires last year caused problems with production and sales.

Cox analysts also pointed to a lack of hybrid vehicles.

Ford and General Motors do not have many hybrid models, using two power sources.

Hybrid vehicles are becoming more popular in the United States.

Higher gas prices are helping this market grow.

So Hyundai's possible success has several reasons.

Yes. Strong products, production problems, and the availability of hybrid vehicles all matter.

The final sales numbers will show whether Hyundai passes Ford.

Thank you, Ella.

Part one has three useful technology words.

Crater means a large, round hole on a planet or moon.

In the story, the phrase was “the Shackleton Crater”.

The Moon has many craters.

Shadow means a dark area made when light cannot reach it.

The word is related to the story's “cold traps.”

The tree cast a shadow on the ground.

Ice means frozen water.

In the story, the phrase was “water ice”.

People put ice in cold drinks.