Russia and China have announced a joint space venture. Both nations are collaborating to build an International Lunar Research Station (ILRS).
Speaking at the Global Space Exploration (GLEX) conference in Saint Petersburg, Russian and Chinese officials confirmed that the new lunar space station might involve other stakeholders, private space firms, and other countries as well.
Wu Yanhua, deputy head of the China National Space Administration (CNSA), shed light on the logistics of the mission, including the facilities aboard the ILRS and transportation to the station. He also explained the mission’s scientific objectives.
Clash with NASA’s Artemis program
The first stage of the space station, which runs from 2021 until 2025, will gather data and verify high-precision landings. The second phase will run from 2026 to 2035 and will involve work on cargo delivery and the commencing of joint operations. The third and last stage of the mission will begin from 2036 and would witness the first crewed lunar landings.
The location of the lunar station is yet to be decided. One idea involves landing on the Amundsen crater near the South Pole, a similar region is also planned by NASA’s lunar program. The US space agency launched its Artemis Program in 2017 with an aim to send humans back on the Moon, specifically the South Pole, by the mid-2020s.
Cooperation from other countries possible
Sergey Saveliev, deputy director-general for International Cooperation for Roscosmos and Wu said that there have been talks with the ESA and France’s CNES regarding the mission. However, they are still at a nascent stage, Wu noted.
Following the announcement, Dmitry Rogozin, CEO, Roscosmos, praised the Chinese space program. “The Chinese are making good progress,” he said. “Their space program is well-funded. They have made considerable progress technologically. At first, they replicated Soviet technologies, but now they have moved much farther. They have the financial, organizational, and technological capabilities for setting ambitious goals.”
Besides, Russia recently announced its plans to leave the International Space Station (ISS) next year. Currently, Russia is maintaining the ISS and making necessary repairs. However, it’s unclear whether this cooperation will continue past 2024.
