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Russia and China have announced plans to build a space station on the Moon. The Russian space agency Roscosmos says it has signed an agreement with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration of China. The agreement was signed by the leaders of the Russian and Chinese space research agencies on behalf of the two governments.
They say they will build the research center on the lunar surface or in lunar orbit or both. It’s called the International Center for Lunar Scientific Research or ILRS. A joint statement by the two countries’ aerospace research institutes said the center could be used by any country other than Russia and China. The station will remain open to all, according to the statement.
The announcement comes as Russia prepares to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the first manned space flight. The country first sent Yori Gagarin into space 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. That’s what the statement said.
Russia and China will work together to plan, design, build and operate a space station on the Moon, the statement said.
Currently there is a research center in space called the International Space Station or ISS where astronauts are stationed. It was released about 20 years ago. It is still the only station in the space where people are stationed.
China and Russia also agreed to establish a data center to conduct in-depth research on the moon and space, according to the statement.
China’s power in space
Chen Lan, a researcher for China’s space program, told AFP that the project was a big event. This will be China’s largest contribution to international space research. As a result, it is very significant.
China is relatively behind in space exploration, and last December the country sent a spacecraft to the moon called the Chang’i-5, which was able to collect rocks and ‘dirt’ from the moon’s chest and bring it back to Earth. So far, only three countries have been able to collect samples from the moon and bring them back to Earth. China’s mission to the Moon is 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 spacecraft called the Chang’e-6 to the moon. Moon 26 of the next Russian program in this regard. The objective of both projects is to carry out research on the south pole of the Moon. Russia played an important role in launching space exploration, but in recent years the country has lagged behind China and the United States.
Previously, only Russia could bring astronauts to the International Space Station, but after the success of the Space-X space agency last year, Russia’s capability is no longer unique.
America’s plan
The United States has also announced plans to return to lunar research by 2024. The country’s program is called 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. The man first landed on the moon on July 20, 1989. According to the US space agency NASA website, 12 astronauts have landed on the moon so far.
Source: BBC Bangla.
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