Leonard David's INSIDE OUTER SPACE

Credit: via Roscosmos

China and Russia are developing a road map to establish an international station on the Moon.

An invitation to all interested countries, international organizations and partners to cooperate in the project was made last Friday by the China National Space Administration (CNSA) and its Russian counterpart Roscosmos.

The announcement was made at a conference focused on the international Moon station in Nanjing, east China’s Jiangsu province.

In March, China and Russia signed a memorandum of understanding on jointly building an international scientific research station on the Moon.

Earth’s Moon, a dusty denizen of deep space and potential feedstock for the future.
Credit: NASA/Jeff Williams

Extensive cooperation

The CNSA and Roscosmos will promote extensive cooperation in the lunar station for the development of human space science and technology and socio-economic progress, said CNSA deputy director Wu Yanhua, according to China’s Xinhua news agency.

Wu said the station will be another important contribution by China and Russia “to promote the long-term and sustainable development of United Nations outer space activities,” the Xinhua story adds.

Chinese scientists have unveiled design of a crew Moon rover.
Credit: New China TV/GlobalLink/Inside Outer Space screengrab

Joint declaration

The joint declaration by the two countries released on Friday underscored the co-operated construction of the International Scientific Lunar Station (ISLS), emphasizing that the ISLS is open to all countries, international organizations and partners interested in cooperation in the planning, justification, design, development, implementation and operation of the ISLS.

Credit: CGTN/China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC).

Both “material and non-material contribution of international partners to cooperation in the field of the creation of the ISLS in any aspect of the mission at every stage” is welcomed, explains the document, and be “mutually beneficial for all participants.”

The statement by Roscosmos and KNKA (CNSA) on the creation of the lunar station also reiterated coordination of the Russian mission with the Luna-Resurs-1 orbital spacecraft and the Chinese research mission the polar region of the Moon “Chang’e-7.” That agreement also states Roscosmos and CNSA will work together on the creation of a joint Data Center for the exploration of the Moon and deep space.

The statement can be found here at:

https://www.roscosmos.ru/30837/