The Russian government has approved a bill to ratify an agreement with China on the joint creation and use of the International Scientific Lunar Station. The document will now be submitted to the State Duma.
The implementation of the agreement will contribute to strengthening the strategic partnership between Russia and China, developing joint space activities, and consolidating Russia's leading role in the exploration of outer space, including projects to explore the Moon.
In addition, Russian-Chinese cooperation will improve the efficiency of space research and train scientists and specialists who will implement scientific space projects in the future.
Construction of the station will begin in 2031-2035, and the space agencies of Venezuela, South Africa, Azerbaijan, Pakistan, and Belarus are joining the project. It is also already known that the National University of the UAE is participating in the project.
The main work on the appearance of a scientific station on the Moon will fall on the shoulders of Roscosmos and the China National Space Administration. To launch the ILRS, Russian and Chinese missions will jointly explore the Moon and determine the optimal location for the construction of the station.