During the Cold War, competition between the the United States and the former USSR was fierce, as the two countries rallied for the chance to make history by getting to the moon first. In 1959, the Soviet Union beat the U.S. to become the first nation to reach the surface of the moon with its Luna 2 spacecraft. But, the United States was the first country to put man on the moon in 1969, and to this day is still the only nation to have landed people on the moon. To date, only five nations, the U.S., Russia, China, Japan and India, have completed a successful soft landing on the moon. But bolstered by evidence of the presence of water and other natural resources, many more nations and private companies are now seeking to get to the moon. And whoever is able to establish a significant lunar presence first could have big implications on Earth as well as the cosmos. Chapters: Chapter 1 - Why go back? 2:02 Chapter 2 - Major players 5:44 Chapter 3 - First-mover advantage 9:30 Produced, shot and edited by: Magdalena Petrova Animation: Jason Reginato, Christina Locopo Supervising Producer: Jeniece Pettitt Additional Footage: Getty Images, JAXA » Subscribe to CNBC: » Subscribe to CNBC TV: About CNBC: From 'Wall Street' to 'Main Street' to award winning original documentaries and Reality TV series, CNBC has you covered. Experience special sneak peeks of your favorite shows, exclusive video and more. Want to land your dream job in 2024? Take CNBC’s new online course How to Ace Your Job Interview and save 50% with discount code EARLYBIRD: Connect with CNBC News Online Get the latest news: Follow CNBC on LinkedIn: Follow CNBC News on Facebook: Follow CNBC News on X: Follow CNBC News on Instagram: #cnbc Why The World Is Rushing Back To The Moon
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