Both the U.S. and China are re-exploring the moon, with he latter on the surface and the former in orbit, igniting a new space race for the 21st century.

According to a press release, NASA confirmed their Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) finished its 30-day orbiting mission. Hosted aboard, the Lunar Laser Communication Demonstration (LLCD) confirmed that broadband laser communications in space are entirely possible.

"Throughout our testing we did not see anything that would prevent the operational use of this technology in the immediate future," Don Cornwell, LLCD mission manager at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., said in the release.

NASA designed the LLCD to ensure broadband capabilities using laser communications at a distance of just less than a quarter-of-a-million miles. The spacecraft achieved a download speed of 622 megabits per second (Mbps) and a 20 Mbps upload speed.

The LLCD was even able to provide mission managers with unexpected surprises, like being able to transmit through thin clouds. Communications tests with ground control were error-free during daytime on Earth even when faced with wind and air turbulence.

"We were able to download LADEE's entire stored science and spacecraft data [1 gigabyte] in less than five minutes, which was only limited to our 40 Mbps connection to that data within LADEE" said Cornwell. "We were able to program LADEE to awaken the LLCD space terminal and have it automatically point and communicate to the ground station at a specific time without radio commands. This demonstrates that this technology could serve as the primary communications system for future NASA missions."

While NASA was finishing its successful mission, China's space agency was just getting started on their own lunar endeavor. The Jade Rabbit moon rover has officially began its mission on the moon, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Further, space exploration is no longer a feat only achievable by select countries. The European Space Agency, China's and even India's are expanding, renewing a space race for the 21st century.