The race to tap the Moon's immense value

Nations around the world are looking to unlock the Moon's economic, scientific and geopolitical value.

Why it matters: The Moon could be valuable high ground for the United States, China and other established space powers that see it as a crucial place to further assert dominance in space.

India and others view the Moon as a place to test technology, perform science and vault them into the rarified air of the established space powers.

Once there, countries and companies that can access water and other resources on the Moon could...