China’s Lunar Mission Open to International Collaboration, Aims to Establish Major Space Power Status by 2030
China’s plans for lunar exploration have taken an exciting turn as the country opens up its lunar missions to international collaboration. In its pursuit to become a major space power by 2030, the China National Space Administration (CNSA) announced at the International Astronautical Congress that international partners are welcome to join the Chang’e-8 mission and conduct joint projects.
This move allows for mission-level projects where China and its partners can collectively launch and operate spacecraft, interact with each other’s spacecraft, and explore the moon’s surface together. Additionally, international parties will have the opportunity to independently deploy their own modules once the Chinese spacecraft lands.
Interested parties intending to collaborate with China must submit a letter of intent to the CNSA by December 31. The final selection of proposals is expected to take place in September 2024. It is worth noting that the Chang’e-8 mission will follow the Chang’e-7 mission in 2026, both of which aim to establish the foundation for the Beijing-led International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) in the 2030s.
China’s impressive timeline aligns with NASA’s Artemis program, which aims to return U.S. astronauts to the lunar surface in December 2025. China’s plans involve sending an uncrewed Chang’e-6 probe to the far side of the moon in the first half of 2024 to retrieve soil samples. This mission will contribute to the establishment of a lunar outpost on the moon’s south pole.
While collaboration seems imminent between nations, NASA is currently prohibited by U.S. law from cooperating with China. However, the Artemis Accords, a pact aimed at establishing norms of behavior in space and on the moon’s surface, have been signed by 29 countries as of September. Notably, China and Russia are not among the signatories.
China has managed to secure participation from Russia and Venezuela for its own lunar station program. With such international collaboration, China is inching closer to achieving its goal of becoming a major space power within the next decade. As developments unfold, the world eagerly awaits the groundbreaking discoveries and advancements that may arise from these joint lunar missions.
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