Back to the Moon by Travis S Taylor

This narrative details a high-stakes international rescue mission following the crash of the Chinese spacecraft Harmony on the lunar surface. After the Apollo 17 era, NASA commander Bill Stetson leads the Mercy I flight to save four stranded Chinese astronauts before their oxygen and power deplete. The rescue is complicated by mechanical failures, including a malfunctioning solar array and a hull breach caused by gunfire from a political officer on board. To return the survivors to Earth, the crew must perform dangerous extravehicular activities and a complex aerocapture maneuver. Ultimately, a private spacecraft named Dreamscape serves as a vital lifeboat to bring the combined crews home. The story highlights the technological risks of space travel and the geopolitical tensions underlying cooperative efforts in lunar exploration.