Today, aviation and spaceflight are once again shaped by ideological rivalry, echoing the mid-20th-century space race between the United States and the Soviet Union. In the 21st century, however, Washington's primary competitor is no longer Moscow, but Beijing.
US space agency NASA intends to retire its landmark research outpost, the International Space Station (ISS), by 2032. When that happens, China will be the only country operating a permanently crewed orbital station.