First in polar region: India or US?

[JohnFornaro]

The discussion about Antarctic "colonies" rests its shaky assertions on very narrow definitions of the term "colony".  As to asserting that the Chandrayaan 3 landing at 69° south is polar; this confuses the orbital characteristics of Earth and Luna and the effects of weather on both bodies as being strictly equivalent.  Still, permanently shadowed craters are found at 60° on Luna.   My informal use of "polar" in a lunar context is  80°, FWIW.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Permanently_shadowed_crater

Edit:

But yeah. India would get bragging rights for successully landing on the Moon.

[deadman1204]

back to the OP and ignoring all the colony stuff that doesn't matter here, it totally gives India bragging rights.

I think this is great. It gets another country SUPER excited about space and lunar stuff. That can lead to more investment in lunar stuff from India. Extra bonus if congress gets annoyed by that. It could motivate them to put more money into NASA as well.

[deltaV]

I think this is great. It gets another country SUPER excited about space and lunar stuff. That can lead to more investment in lunar stuff from India. Extra bonus if congress gets annoyed by that. It could motivate them to put more money into NASA as well.

Artemis doesn't need more money. What Artemis needs is for Congress to direct Artemis's money to optimize space goals rather than jobs goals.

[Hog]

I think this is great. It gets another country SUPER excited about space and lunar stuff. That can lead to more investment in lunar stuff from India. Extra bonus if congress gets annoyed by that. It could motivate them to put more money into NASA as well.

Artemis doesn't need more money. What Artemis needs is for Congress to direct Artemis's money to optimize space goals rather than jobs goals.

He said NASA, not Artemis.