Russia and China Join Forces to Build Moon Base
Russia has signed a memorandum of understanding with China to construct a joint lunar space station, the national space agency, Roscosmos, announced on Tuesday.
The station is envisioned as a “complex of experimental research facilities created on the surface and/or in the orbit of the moon,” according to a statement from Roscosmos.
The countries have agreed to cooperate closely on designing, implementing and presenting the project, according to the statement.
China’s ambassador to Russia confirmed the agreement, the Russian news agency Interfax reported.
In July 2020, Roscosmos chief Dmitry Rogozin had reportedly said his agency was in talks with China about potentially developing a joint lunar base.
The project would involve developing a space monitoring system and should also help with deep space exploration, Rogozin said. He hinted at cooperation on asteroid and comet security.
“The Chinese have grown a lot in recent years, we respect their results, and in principle they are a worthy partner for us,” Rogozin was quoted as saying by Interfax.