China and Russia said they will build a lunar research station, possibly on the moon’s surface. Denoting the beginning of another period in space participation between the two nations. A statement posted by China National Space Administration on the website said. The International Lunar Research Station will be free to use by other countries. However, they haven’t described the course of events for its development.
A memorandum of understanding on the project was signed on Tuesday by Zhang Kejian, head of the Chinese space station CNSA. And Russian space agency Roscosmos chief Dmitry Rogozin.
Lunar Research Station will carry out scientific research activities such as lunar exploration. And utilization, lunar-based observation, basic scientific experiments, and technical verification.
China has mastered the art of space exploration as their recent mission Chang’e-5 probe. Which was launched last year on 23 November 2020 has successfully brought back rock. And soil it picked up from the moon in December 2020. At the time it was seen as another illustration of China’s increasing capability in space.
The US has already declared plans to return to the moon by 2024.
Russia, on the other hand, pioneered space exploration but has been surpassed by China and the United States in recent years. Last year only Russia lost its monopoly on taking astronauts to the International Space station. When SpaceX’s successfully launched its first human mission named Crew Dragon.
The US has already declared plans to return to the moon by 2024. Through The program, called Artemis, in which a man and woman will step on the surface of the moon. Which would be the first landing with humans since 1972.
Other missions of China
Two smaller pilot space stations have been launched by China, they have placed a rover on the unexplored side of the moon in 2019. And have a spacecraft named the Tianwen-1. In an orbit around Mars in expectation of landing a rover on the surface of the mars in the upcoming months. If Chian succeeds in their plan. They would turn out to be just the second country after the U.S. to put a spacecraft on Mars.
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