International Lunar Research Station (Sino-Russian project)

[Grey Havoc]

China is aiming to attract partners for an international lunar research station

China has developed a vision for an international lunar research station and is seeking international involvement in the project.

spacenews.com

Russia, China to sign agreement on international lunar research station

Russia is preparing to sign a memorandum of understanding with China to cooperate on a vision for an international lunar research station (ILRS).

spacenews.com

Russia opts for lunar project with China over continued cooperation with ISS partners beyond LEO
HELSINKI — Russia is preparing to sign a memorandum of understanding with China to cooperate on a vision for an international lunar research station.

The ILRS is understood to be a Chinese-developed vision for a robotic base at the lunar south pole. The first steps will be the upcoming Chang’e-,6, -7 and -8 missions and international missions such as Russia’s Luna 27. In the early 2030s an expanded ILRS will involve long-term robotic and potentially short-term crewed missions. A long-term human presence at the lunar south pole is the goal for 2036-2045.

The project, at this early stage, would appear to consist of Chinese, Russian and potentially other nations contributing their own, discrete spacecraft. This would be in contrast to a more complex, integrated program such as the International Space Station.

ILRS objectives include “construction and operation of human[ity]’s first sharing platform in the lunar south pole, supporting long-term, large-scale scientific exploration, technical experiments and development and utilization of lunar resources’, according to a 2020 presentation to the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) by the Lunar Exploration and Space Engineering Center under the China National Space Administration (CNSA).

 

[Grey Havoc]

I wonder how much this will be driven by each country. Will one be more more in the driving seat than the other.

The heads of the Chinese and Russian space agencies signed a memorandum of understanding Tuesday on cooperative construction of an international lunar research station.

Zhang Kejian, head of the China National Space Administration (CNSA), and Dmitry Rogozin, General Director of Roscosmos, signed the document during a virtual meeting March 9.

The International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) is described as a comprehensive scientific experiment base built on the lunar surface or on the lunar orbit that can carry out multi-disciplinary and multi-objective scientific research activities including exploration and utilization, lunar-based observation, basic scientific experiment and technical verification, and long-term autonomous operation.

China, Russia enter MoU on international lunar research station

The Chinese and Russian space agencies signed a memorandum of understanding Tuesday on construction of an international lunar research station.

spacenews.com

 

[BigRIJoe]

I bet China does the heavy lifting

 

[Grey Havoc]

Via Slashdot:

Pivoting from NASA, Russia partners with China for lunar space station

The two space powers will jointly build a new lunar space station that rival’s NASA’s planned Gateway station.

www.theverge.com

 

[Grey Havoc]

I bet China does the heavy lifting

Russia does certainly need to do a lot of spring cleaning indeed.

 

[Grey Havoc]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrR-wNq1e7k

 

[Grey Havoc]

Russia continues discussions with China on lunar exploration cooperation

The Russian space agency Roscosmos anticipates additional negotiations with China at a conference in June, building upon an agreement on lunar exploration announced in February.

spacenews.com

 

[Archibald]

Per lack of a better thread... considering the few resources the Moon has to offer.

I think a solar array ( silica) industry would make some sense as a First step.

Second step: build lunar SSTOs (2700 m/s from Moon surface to escape, or 2400 m/s to LLO)
- titanium structure
- aluminium fuel
- oxygen oxidizer
- with silica solar arrays

Third step: a SBSP demo plant to power a lunar base. Made of step 1 solar arrays boosted by step 2 lunar SSTOs. SBSP makes little sense on Earth but how about a modest variant for a lunar base ?

Fourth step: sell the KREEP / REE / rare earths left by the mining of the three early steps.
Could the REEs be boosted to Earth by titanium SSTOs manufactured on the Moon ?
What kind of specific impulse has LOX/al ? 280 ?

 

[Grey Havoc]

China aims to launch Chang'e-6 lunar probe around 2024

China aims to launch Chang'e-6 lunar probe around 2024 - Xinhua | English.news.cn

NANJING, April 24 (Xinhua) -- China aims to launch the Chang'e-6 probe to collect samples in the South Pole-Aitken Basin on the far side of the moon around 2024, said a space expert on Saturday.

Hu Hao, the chief designer of the third stage of China's lunar exploration program, told the China Space Conference, held in Nanjing, east China's Jiangsu Province, that detailed designing on the mission is in progress.

Four payloads developed by scientists from France, Sweden, Italy, Russia and China have been preliminarily selected. After the detailed plan of the Chang'e-6 mission comes out, the payloads will be finally determined, said Hu.

China will carry out lunar resource exploration, scientific research and technological experiments in the Chang'e-6, Chang'e-7 and Chang'e-8 missions, aiming to build a prototype scientific research station on the moon by 2030, Hu added.

 

[Grey Havoc]

China, Russia open moon base project to international partners, early details emerge

Russia and China have formally invited countries and international organizations to join the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) project.

spacenews.com

 

[tequilashooter]

This is all interesting new heavy Yenisei and Don rocket designs and testing nuclear tugs to travel around our solar system might involve China to further fund deeper space projects with Russia ( the country itself will also further boost their economy with arctic projects and nordstream 2 construction close to finish to assist with some funding). Keldysh Center created one nuclear engine with a designated project Nuklon and I am more curious about the other nuclear reactor engine being designed by KB Arsenal.

 

[Grey Havoc]

France may join Russia and China in effort to build lunar research station - Global Construction Review

France may join forces with Russia and China to build a research station on the Moon, the Russian space agency Roscosmos suggested on Tuesday. The proposal came during a videoconference…

www.globalconstructionreview.com

 

[Grey Havoc]

The Chinese-Russian Lunar Axis adopts a plan from the late Paul Spudis

A group of Russian and Chinese space officials revealed plans for what they call an “International Lunar Research Station.”

thehill.com

 

[tequilashooter]

Лунная станция России и Китая. Насколько реален необитаемый космический проект

Пилотируемая космонавтика, включая и исследования любых небесных тел, более затратная, чем те, где применяют только автоматы . Именно поэтому Россия и Китай собираются строить на Луне станцию, а не базу, и главное отличие в том, что на станции будут действовать автоматические аппараты, а на базе...

naukatehnika.com

View: https://youtu.be/l2P5kFTBuOs

 

[tequilashooter]

Парашютную систему для корабля "Орел" испытают сбросом из космоса в 2024 году

Глава холдинга "Технодинамика" Игорь Насенков уточнил, что для российского перспективного космического корабля создают трехкупольную парашютную систему, площадь одного купола достигает 1 200 кв. м. Читайте ТАСС в. МОСКВА, 9 июля. /ТАСС/. Первые сбросы из космоса в рамках испытания парашютной...

tass-ru.turbopages.org

The parachute system for the Orel (Eng: Eagle) spacecraft will be tested by dropping from space in 2024.

Roscosmos is planning the first space launches as part of a test of the parachute system for the promising Russian Orel spacecraft in 2024. This was announced to journalists by Igor Nasenkov, General Director of the Technodinamika holding of the Rostec State Corporation.

"Now we are at the stage of creating prototypes. Field tests are underway. We're on schedule. We plan to complete comprehensive tests in 2023. And in 2024, capsule drops from space should already begin, the first two drops will be without people" he said.

The head of the holding specified that a three-dome parachute system is being created for the Russian promising spacecraft, the area of one dome reaches 1,200 square meters. m. The parachute system will be able to withstand a load weighing 9,535 kg.

The advanced manned spacecraft "Orel" (formerly known as "Federation") is being created as part of the Russian lunar program.

 

[tequilashooter]

Russia, China to present lunar station declaration at congress in Dubai late Oct

The document will "outline common approaches to implementing the ILRS, such as patterns for participation by all partners concerned and the fundamental cooperation principles for the parties to the project to abide by"

tass.com

MOSCOW, September 27. /TASS/. Russia's Roscosmos and the China National Space Administration will present a declaration regarding a future International Lunar Research Station at the International Astronautical Congress in Dubai, Roscosmos said in a news release on Monday.

Roscosmos and CNSA representatives, together with experts from France, Italy, the Netherlands, Germany, Malaysia, Thailand and the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs held talks on a draft declaration on Monday. The consultations took place behind closed doors.

"After being reworked in accordance with the international experts' proposals the declaration will be presented to the world space community for wide discussion at the 72nd International Astronautical Congress, due in Dubai on October 25-29, 2021," the news release runs.

Roscosmos said the declaration would build up from the memorandum of understanding between the governments of Russia and China on the issue of creating a lunar station. The declaration will "outline common approaches to implementing the ILRS, such as patterns for participation by all partners concerned and the fundamental cooperation principles for the parties to the project to abide by."

Roscosmos and the CNSA at the global conference on space exploration GLEX-2021 in June presented an ILRS road map. According to the proposed concept, the lunar station is to be finalized by 2035. In 2026-2030, two missions are to be carried out to practice and test landing and cargo delivery techniques and also the transportation of lunar soil samples to the Earth. In 2031-2035, the participating parties will deploy infrastructure, such as communication systems and also power supply, research and other equipment in the Moon's orbit and on its surface.

As follows from the project's roadmap, the station's transport infrastructure will incorporate research and service Moon rovers and a jumping robot. The participants are going to equip the station with several smart minirovers for exploring the Moon's surface.

 

[Grey Havoc]

China's New Space Reactor 'Will Be 100 Times More Powerful Than a Similar Device NASA Plans To Put on the Surface of the Moon by 2030' - Slashdot

Hmmmmmm writes: China is developing a powerful nuclear reactor for its moon and Mars missions, according to researchers involved in the project. The reactor can generate one megawatt of electric power, 100 times more powerful than a similar device Nasa plans to put on the surface of the moon by...

science.slashdot.org

 

[Grey Havoc]

China Speeds Up Moon Base Plan in Space Race Against America - Slashdot

"China has formally approved three missions targeting the south pole of the moon, with the first to launch around 2024..." reports Space.com, "each with different goals and an array of spacecraft." The trio make up the so-called fourth phase for the Chinese lunar exploration program, which most...

science.slashdot.org

 

[Grey Havoc]

China Confirms It Will Team Up With Russia to Explore the Moon

China Confirms It Will Team Up With Russia to Explore the Moon

www.bloombergquint.com

 

[Grey Havoc]

China wants its new rocket for astronaut launches to be reusable

The new rocket will launch astronauts to China's space station and maybe even the moon.

www.space.com

 

[Grey Havoc]

From back in August:

HELSINKI — China is progressing with the development of two super heavy-lift rockets for crewed missions and infrastructure launches to the moon, according to officials.

The new launchers are designed to allow China to conduct short-term lunar landings before 2030 and send large pieces of infrastructure to the moon in the 2030s respectively.

Though China’s government has not formally approved a crewed lunar landing, work on the necessary elements of such a program is underway and the country’s space actors and state media are openly talking of its lunar ambitions.

China claims progress on rockets for crewed lunar landings and moon base

China is progressing with the development of two super heavy-lift rockets for crewed missions and infrastructure launches to the moon, according to officials.

spacenews.com

 

[Grey Havoc]

China lays out plan for future deep space exploration

Beijing (XNA) Nov 25, 2022 - China has made an ambitious road map for its future lunar exploration programs, including an international scientific outpost, according to the programs' chief planner. Wu Weiren, an academician of

www.spacedaily.com