NASA Bars Chinese Nationals with U.S. Visas from Its Space Programs Amid Rising Rivalry

NASA has instituted a sweeping new restriction preventing Chinese nationals, even those holding valid U.S. visas, from participating in its space programs. As part of this policy change, these individuals are now barred from physical and cybersecurity access to NASA facilities, materials, networks, data systems, and in-person meetings.

Before this shift, some Chinese nationals had been permitted to contribute to NASA efforts as contractors, graduate students, or university-affiliated researchers so long as they were not formal agency staff. Suddenly, beginning around September 5, those pathways were cut off: individuals familiar with the situation describe being locked out of internal IT systems and excluded from essential meetings.

The agency describes the move as a necessary measure to safeguard its work, citing concerns over potential security vulnerabilities. It occurs amid expanding geopolitical competition between the U.S. and China in space exploration.

The U.S. is aiming for a manned lunar return by 2027 under the Artemis program, while China targets landing astronauts on the Moon by 2030. NASA’s acting administrator has framed the situation as a renewed “space race,” asserting that U.S. leadership in space is a priority.

This latest action builds on existing legal limits such as the “Wolf Amendment,” which restricts NASA’s bilateral cooperation with Chinese government entities. But the newly announced internal restrictions go further, affecting even non-government-affiliated Chinese researchers working under a visa status in the U.S., raising questions about broader implications for scientific collaboration and academic exchange.

Sources: The Guardian, South China Morning Post, Business Standard