On May 28, Dmitry Rogozin, the Director General of the Russian space agency Roscosmos, announced that the intergovernmental agreement on cooperation to establish the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) between Russia and China is ready for signing.
Concept sketch of the International Lunar Research Station by Russia and China. (Photo: Roscosmos)
“We are now almost ready to sign an intergovernmental agreement on establishing a research facility on the Moon with China,” Rogozin stated during an interview with the Rossiya 24 television channel.
Moscow and Beijing plan to establish a joint research facility on the Moon by 2027. This facility will be designed for various purposes, such as lunar exploration, lunar observation, pilot research, and technology validation.
China plans to launch the Chang’e 8 probe as the first step to establish the ILRS. This mission is expected to test 3D printing technology.
Currently, the Chang’e 4 spacecraft and the Yutu 2 rover are conducting scientific experiments on the Moon. The Chang’e 4 is testing silkworms, potatoes, and a type of mustard plant to see how these organisms grow in the lunar environment. The Yutu 2 rover has been exploring the Von Kármán crater since 2019.
The joint research station between Russia and China is seen as an effort to respond to being excluded from the U.S. Artemis Accords. This agreement outlines principles, guidelines, and best practices for U.S. and partner space exploration. The U.S. aims to be the first country to establish a permanent presence on the Moon.
