On the 27th, the European Space Agency confirmed that European countries are considering joining the lunar research station project of China and Russia.
European space agency officials have publicly stated that the possibility is being discussed.
On the 27th, the Director of the Moscow Office of the European Space Agency, Pischer, told TASS that the European Space Agency is discussing with its member states how European countries can join the Sino-Russian lunar expedition. The official said the issue was being discussed "internally" among member states.
In March, Russian Space Agency Director-General Rogozin and the Chinese National Space Agency, on behalf of the two governments, signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in the establishment of an international lunar research station. This is of great concern to the European Space Agency, which has established long-standing cooperation with the two countries.
Russia and China plan to use their common experience and science and technology to draw up a planned timetable for the establishment of a lunar space station. Bilateral cooperation in this area is envisaged, including landing research projects landing on the lunar surface and joint scientific expeditions in orbit around the moon.
The Russian space agency official in charge of international cooperation told TASS in May that the Russian Space Agency and the Chinese National Aeronautics and Space Administration had issued invitations to potential partners in the project, and that the most interesting potential target among the current partners was the European Space Agency due to legal and political restrictions on the Part of the United States.
In fact, the British and Italian astronauts of the European Space Agency have already carried out long-term exchanges and training in China. The European Space Agency also has long-term cooperation with the Russian side, such as taking the Soyuz spacecraft to and from the International Space Station.
Against the backdrop of China's recent launch of the Shenzhou manned spacecraft and further advancement of the construction of the Chinese space station, a spokesman for the China Manned Space Agency reiterated that China has invited international astronauts to fly to China's orbital space laboratory.
The Shenzhou 13 spacecraft, carrying three Chinese astronauts, will conduct its first six-month mission on the Chinese space station.
China is not currently a partner in the International Space Station project led by the United States, Russia, Europe and Japan, but China plans to complete the construction of its own space station by the end of next year, and the International Space Station is gradually approaching the last moment of its life, which makes the European Space Agency have to consider more options.
The China Manned Space Agency said: "The construction of the Chinese space station will provide a platform for broader international cooperation, including astronaut joint space flights." "In fact, many countries and regions have offered to work with us." We have cooperated in the selection and training of astronauts.
"We welcome astronauts from other countries to our space station and international cooperation ... We believe that after the space station enters the operation and use phase, more foreign astronauts will visit our space station. ”
At present, the Chinese side has not announced the finalized national personnel allocation, or the specific timetable for when international astronauts will carry out Chinese missions, but the Chinese side has reiterated the consistent position of the Chinese space industry that it welcomes international guests to the Chinese space station.
The head of the Russian Space Agency has long said that Russian astronauts can fly on the Chinese space station.
NASA is currently constrained by the law and unable to cooperate deeply with China's space agencies.