China and Russia to Build Space Station on Moon: What's the Purpose?

Russia and China have announced plans to build a space station on the moon.

Russian space agency Roscosmos says it has signed an agreement with China's National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The agreement was signed by the leaders of the Russian and Chinese space research organizations on behalf of the two governments.

They say they will build the center for research on the lunar surface or in lunar orbit or both. It is named International Lunar Scientific Research Center or ILRS.

A joint statement from the two countries' space research institutes said the center could be used by any country other than Russia and China.

"The station will remain open to all," the statement said.

The announcement comes as Russia prepares to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the first manned spaceflight.

The country sent Yori Gagarin into space for the first time in April 1971.

What is the purpose

A statement from both Russia and China said the international lunar center would conduct a variety of scientific research, including conducting experiments on the moon and using the satellite for various purposes.

"China and Russia will use their accumulated experience in the development and use of space science, research and space-related technologies and instruments. They will jointly develop a plan to build an international space station on the moon," the statement said.

Russia and China will work together to plan, design, build and operate a space station on the moon, the statement said.

There is currently a research center in space called the International Space Station or ISS where astronauts are stationed. It was launched about 20 years ago. It is still the only station in space where people are stationed.

China and Russia have also agreed to set up a data center to conduct in-depth research on the moon and space, the statement said.

China's power in space

"This project is a very big event," Chen Lan, a researcher on China's space program, told AFP.

"This will be China's largest cooperation in international space research. As a result, it is very significant," he said.

China is relatively late in space exploration, and last December the country sent a spacecraft to the moon called Chang'i-5, which was able to collect rocks and 'soil' from the moon's chest and bring it to Earth.

So far, only three countries have been able to collect samples from the moon and bring them to Earth.

China's mission to the moon is being seen as a demonstration of China's growing power in space.

China has also invested heavily in space research in recent years.

China is now working to send a vehicle called Chang'e-6 to the moon. Luna 26 of Russia's next program in this regard. The goal of both projects is to conduct research on the moon's south pole.

Russia played a major role in launching space exploration, but in recent years the country has lagged behind China and the United States.

Earlier, only Russia could take astronauts to the International Space Station, but after the success of the space agency Space-X last year, Russia no longer has that capability.

America's plan

The United States has also announced plans to return to lunar research by 2024.

The country's program is named Artemis so that a man and a woman can land on the moon.

This will be the first man to land on the moon since 1982. Man first landed on the moon on July 20, 1989.

According to the US space agency NASA's website, 12 astronauts have landed on the moon so far.

Source: BBC Bangla