- tech360.tv
China Extends Collaboration Offer for Lunar Mission as Deadlines Approach
Updated: Jan 8
China, with its goal of becoming a major space power by 2030, has announced its willingness to collaborate with international partners on a crucial lunar mission.
The mission involves setting up a permanent habitat on the south pole of the moon and as the deadlines for this ambitious project loom, China is inviting countries and international organisations to participate.
The China National Space Administration (CNSA) made the announcement at the 74th International Astronautical Congress in Baku, Azerbaijan. The CNSA stated that it welcomes international cooperation on its uncrewed Chang'e-8 mission and is open to jointly carrying out "mission-level" projects.
This means that China and its partners can launch and operate their spacecraft, engage in spacecraft-to-spacecraft interactions and explore the moon's surface together.
In addition to mission-level collaboration, international partners are also invited to "piggyback" on the Chang'e-8 mission. This means they can independently deploy their own modules once the Chinese spacecraft lands. Interested parties must submit a letter of intent to the CNSA by December 31 and the final selection of proposals will be made in September 2024.
The Chang'e-8 mission is scheduled to follow the Chang'e-7 mission in 2026, which aims to search for lunar resources on the moon's south pole. These two missions will lay the groundwork for the construction of the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) led by Beijing in the 2030s.
China's lunar exploration plans also include the deployment of the uncrewed Chang'e-6 probe to the far side of the moon in the first half of 2024 to retrieve soil samples. The ultimate goal is to land astronauts on the moon by 2030.
It is worth noting that China's timeline for establishing an outpost on the moon's south pole aligns with NASA's Artemis program. The Artemis program aims to put U.S. astronauts back on the lunar surface by December 2025. However, due to legal restrictions, NASA is prohibited from collaborating with China directly or indirectly.
As of September, 29 countries, including India, have signed the Artemis Accords, a pact crafted by NASA and the U.S. State Department to establish norms of behavior in space and on the lunar surface. China and Russia have not signed the agreement.
China has secured participation from Russia and Venezuela for its own lunar station program. The collaboration offer for the Chang'e-8 mission demonstrates China's commitment to international cooperation and its ambition to become a leading force in space exploration.
China invites international partners to collaborate on its lunar mission.
The mission aims to establish a permanent habitat on the moon's south pole.
International partners can participate in mission-level projects and deploy their own modules.
Source: REUTERS