The Russian government is expected to announce soon that it will collaborate with the American Space Agency, NASA, for the construction of an international lunar space station. The information was revealed in a report by the Popular Mechanics. 663o41
In this report, the American magazine dedicated to science and technology had access to information that the head of Russian Federal Space Agency, known as Roscosmos, Igor Komarov, is expected to announce the agreement during the meeting with other space agencies in 68th International Astronautical Congress, which will be held next week in Adelaide, Australia.
A NASA and space agencies are already carrying out studies to start the construction of a station known as the Gateway to Deep Space (DSG). This lunar station would be in orbit around the natural satellite around 2020.
This location will become the main destination for astronauts for at least a decade and will extend the human presence beyond Earth orbit for the first time since the end of the Apollo program in 1972.
The American and Russian agencies have already been approaching since the beginning of the istration of Donald Trump. European, Canadian and Japanese space agencies may also be part of the agreement that plans to have their own contributions to the DSG.
USA and Russia together by lunar station 21305i
Despite the of international agencies, the partnership of Roscosmos is important because the Russian agency was instrumental in building the International Space Station (ISS). THE Roscosmos was also already planning the construction of an Earth-orbiting space station to accompany the ISS, to be kept in parallel as an effort for lunar exploration or as a backup strategy if exploration is too expensive.
Therefore, probably the Roscosmos realized that it would be more beneficial to continue to cooperate with its ISS partners at the near-moon outpost. THE NASA it will also provide the base not only to prepare a trip to Mars, but also to mount expeditions to explore the lunar surface itself.
