Asian powers in lunar orbit

China and Japan have joined the club of nations that have put satellites in orbit around the Moon. China's Chang'e 1 satellite entered lunar orbit in the last 24 hours and will soon begin its mission of examining the chemical composition of the lunar surface. The Chinese satellite entered orbit on the heels of a Japanese satellite that arrived about a month ago. While both China and Japan deny that their lunar efforts represent a budding space rivalry, I can confidently say it does. The Moon is no longer an American playground, other nations are showing interest and you can be assured they do not all view the Moon as a place to visit for spectacular vistas. The Moon is a mineral and resource bonanza waiting to be tapped.