Russia and China are currently in talks on inviting the latter to become one of the main partners in creating a lunar station, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said Tuesday.
"The question is being discussed with Roscosmos on bringing China in as the main partner in creating a lunar scientific station. We have told China of our plans on the possibility of creating a Russian national orbital station," Rogozin told journalists after a meeting with Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang in Eastern China.
Rogozin added that both parties share "deep mutual understanding and mutual interests" in this area.
In February, China`s Vice Foreign Minister Cheng Guoping said that Beijing is planning to boost its cooperation with Russia in a number of spheres, including space.
Exploration of the Moon and Mars is a priority for the Russian space program. In mid-April, President Vladimir Putin said that Russia plans to launch its national orbital station by 2023. The station is to serve as a base for Russia`s lunar program. Spacecraft will be delivered first to the station, then proceeding to the Moon.
On April 22, Russia`s space agency Roscosmos head Igor Komarov said that Russia is expected to carry out a manned mission orbiting the Moon in 2025 and conduct a manned landing on the surface of the Moon in 2029.
Russia Invites China to Join in Creating Lunar Station
28 April 2015
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Two two countries are discussing China`s participation in a Russian project to create a permanent manned station on the Moon, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said Tuesday.
