The Russian and Chinese sides signed a memorandum on the creation of a lunar station. This is stated on the website of “Roskosmos”.
Representatives of the governments of Russia and China – the head of Roscosmos Dmitry Rogozin and the head of the Chinese National Space Administration (KNKA) Zhang Kejian – signed a cooperation agreement in the format of a video conference. The parties agreed to be guided by “the principles of parity distribution of rights and obligations” and to use “outer space for peaceful purposes in the interests of all mankind.”
The memorandum specifies that the planned lunar station is intended “for multidisciplinary and multipurpose research work,” and the further prospect of a human presence on the Moon is being considered. The agreement implies both joint planning, development and implementation of the project, and its presentation to the world community.
“Russia and China traditionally strive to develop cooperation in the field of space technologies”, – is specified in the conclusion of the agreement. The document also implies the cooperation of the Russian mission with the orbital spacecraft Luna-Resurs-1 (OA) and the Chinese mission to explore the polar region of the Moon, Chang'e-7.
At the end of 2020, China, which had previously sent a mission to the moon, planted a national flag on the surface of a natural satellite of the Earth. Thus, the country became the third – after the USA and the USSR – power to plant its flag on the moon.
