Since the United States and the Soviet Union began space cooperation in 1970, the two countries have maintained a long-lasting and comprehensive cooperative relationship through a number of cooperative projects. However, in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the U.S.-Russia space cooperation program has been seriously challenged. Due to the unfriendly policies of the United States in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, including sanctions, the Russian side has stopped providing assistance in the field of powering the US R&D program. In late July, the Russian space agency announced that it would withdraw from the ISS project after 2024. This is sad news for agencies such as NASA.
However, despite the fact that the Russian aviation industry system has basically broken off its ties with the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Russian side still has a great interest in lunar exploration and moon landing. In November last year, China and Russia signed a cooperation plan for the International Lunar Research Station project, which plans to start building a two-step scientific research station in 2025 and welcomes other countries, international organizations and partner countries to join. Russian media said that the project is only one step away, that is, the approval of Russian legal institutions. After waiting, the Legislative Council of Russia officially approved the initiative to jointly build a Russian-Chinese international scientific lunar station on the 29th, which means that the project has been fully licensed.
1. Russia attaches great importance to the significance of Sino-Russian cooperation
Russia** said that the agreement on the joint construction of an international scientific lunar station is in Russia's interests and will help strengthen the Russian-Chinese strategic partnership and the development of Russian space affairs. This shows that Russia attaches great importance to Sino-Russian cooperation and looks forward to further strengthening cooperation and exchanges between the two countries through this project.
2. Sino-Russian cooperation has entered a new stage
Russia's announcement of joining the China-Russia lunar station program represents a new stage of Sino-Russian cooperation and will deepen cooperation in the field of space. Before the rise of China's space industry, Russia's cooperation route was mainly with the United States, from the first satellite docking to the later joint research and development of rockets and the establishment of the International Space Station. However, due to the conflicting interests of the United States and Russia, Russia can hardly continue to cooperate with the United States on the decisive lunar exploration project. Therefore, cooperation with China became Russia's first choice.
3. The importance of the Sino-Russian lunar station project:
The importance of the Sino-Russian lunar station project lies in its long-term sustainability. It is scheduled to be completed between 2035 and 2040 and will ensure that the Moon is manned for continued lunar exploration and utilization. This is of great significance for advancing human scientific research on the moon and deep space exploration.
Although the international lunar research station project signed by China and Russia has attracted much attention, the United States has also shown some concern about it. As early as October this year, NASA said that it was "open to the door" to join the Sino-Russian lunar station program, and said that there is always an opportunity to learn Xi and join it. However, taking into account the realities, the US media believe that the joint construction of the lunar station by the three countries is still facing difficulties. The United States passed the "Wolf Act" to exclude China from all US space programs during the rise of China's space industry, and now it has lost Russia as a partner, and it is considered a very shameless act to keep an eye on the progress of China and Russia on the moon project.
Russia officially joined the China-China International Science Lunar Station Program, abandoning the original "American route" of cooperation with the United States. This marks a new stage in Sino-Russian space cooperation, and also reflects the importance that Russia attaches to Sino-Russian cooperation and the deepening of Sino-Russian relations. This cooperation is of great significance for promoting human exploration and utilization of the moon, and also plays a positive role in promoting the development of space affairs between China and Russia.
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