China, Russia agree to build lunar research station

BEIJING — China and Russia said they will build a lunar research station, possibly on the moon’s surface, marking the start of a new era in space cooperation between the two countries.

A statement posted on the website of the China National Space Administration on Wednesday said the International Lunar Research Station would also be open to use by other countries, but gave no timeline for its construction.

It described the project as a “comprehensive scientific experiment base with the capability of longterm autonomous operation.”

The station would be “built on the lunar surface and/or on the lunar orbit that will carry out … scientific research activities such as the lunar exploration and utilization, lunar-based observation, basic scientific experiment and technical verification.”

It said a memorandum of understanding on the project was signed Tuesday by Zhang Kejian, administrator of the China National Space Administration, and Russian space agency Roscosmos chief Dmitry Rogozin.

China drew heavily on Russian expertise in the early years of its space program, but has largely forged its own path since launching its first crewed mission in 2003. Despite that, China’s Shenzhou spaceships closely resemble Russia’s Soyuz capsules and the CNSA has worked with countries around the world, apart from the United States. Congress bans almost all contacts between NASA and China over concerns about technology theft and the secretive, militarybacked nature of China’s space program.

Russia and China will “adhere to the principle of ‘coconsultation, joint construction, and shared benefits,’ facilitate extensive cooperation in the ILRS, open to all interested countries and international partners, strengthen scientific research exchanges, and promote humanity’s exploration and use of outer space for peaceful purpose,” the Chinese statement said.

Russia is a participant in the International Space Station but its space program has been somewhat eclipsed by those of China, the U.S., India and others. In its most recent development, Russia successfully testlaunched its heavy lift Angara A5 space rocket for the second time in December.

China has planned four crewed missions this year to work on its first permanent orbiting space station, the core module of which could be launched as soon as next month.