Russia and China announced this week that they would work together to build a manned base on the moon. The plan came as the two countries have been working together on a number of different subjects and China has become a key trading partner with Russia.
Chinese state media said that Beijing was working with more than 30 other countries on a lunar base, including Russia. On Wednesday Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a bill pledging his country’s cooperation with China.
China previously announced plans for a lunar base earlier this year. The China National Space Administration (CNSA) released a video showing footage of what it saw its future base look like. The video showed an image of different facilities on the moon, including satellite dishes and a launchpad for a rocket or shuttle.
The original collaboration between the two countries to build an International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) was announced in 2021.
The head of Russia’s space agency said it’s working on plans with China on ways to deliver and install a nuclear power plant on the moon by 2035, per Reuters
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Over time aseries of Chinese probes are expected to build the first elements of the base.
A Chinese official said that a base on the moon would be the next phase toward a manned mission to Mars.
Russia sent a lunar lander to the moon last year, but it crashed. China has sent a number of space and moon missions.
China has also created a manned space station, becoming one of only several countries able to launch such a craft.
China also launched a space probe that arrived at Mars in 2021. The country also plans to launch a space telescope and to send a probe to several comets and asteroids. China also plans to send a probe that will travel to Jupiter and Uranus.
As Russia faced international sanctions following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the country became more dependent on trade with China. The White House accused China of sending non-lethal supplies to Russia.
Russia has been removed from a number of international trading networks, forcing increasing ties with China. China has emerged as the world’s second-largest economy over the last decade.
