As the world ushered in 2019, China landed a probe on the dark side of the moon—a feat never before attempted. If you read one thing this week, make it this deep-dive from MIT Technology Review. Published just two weeks before the historical landing, it provides a comprehensive look at what’s happening in China’s space exploration program: the state agencies planning a permanent crewed space station, to be completed by 2022, but also a brand-new cohort of ambitious private companies. Just as SpaceX transformed things in the U.S., these startups are changing China’s space industry, and China is competing with America to be the number 1 superpower in space.

For more on space finance, read Jessica Holland's feature "The Entrepreneur's Guide to the Galaxy," published in Hacking Finance No.1: Movement. Order your copy today.