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Putin hints at 'very interesting' plans for joint Moon exploration with China

In March 2021, Russia’s State Space Corporation Roscosmos and the China National Space Administration signed a memorandum of mutual understanding on behalf of their governments on working together to create the International Lunar Research Station

HARBIN, May 17. /TASS/. Russia and China are planning to explore the Moon together, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting with students and professors of Harbin University of Science and Technology.

"As regards Moon exploration, we and our friends from among Chinese researchers have certain plans. These are capital-intensive projects, but they are very interesting and very promising," the Russian leader said.

In March 2021, Russia’s State Space Corporation Roscosmos and the China National Space Administration (CNSA) signed a memorandum of mutual understanding on behalf of their governments on working together to create the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS). Under the project, China plans to send three missions: Chang’e 6, Chang’e 7 and Chang’e 8. The first lunar missions would test key technology to create a roadmap for building a robotic base for experiments and research that could be operated remotely. The first lunar mission is scheduled for 2026, and the project should be wrapped up in 2028.

In early March, Roscomsos CEO Yury Borisov announced that Russia was weighing delivering and installing a nuclear power unit on the lunar surface together with China "somewhere at the turn of 2033-2035."