China, with its ambitious goal of becoming a major space power by 2030, has extended an invitation for international collaboration on a critical lunar mission as it races against the clock to establish a permanent habitat on the south pole of the moon.
The China National Space Administration (CNSA) announced its willingness to welcome countries and international organizations to join the uncrewed Chang'e-8 mission and engage in "mission-level" projects. This announcement was made at the 74th International Astronautical Congress held in Baku, Azerbaijan, on October 2.
The term "mission-level projects" signifies that China and its international partners could jointly launch and operate spacecraft, engage in spacecraft-to-spacecraft "interactions," and collectively explore the lunar surface. The CNSA has provided additional details about this initiative on its website.
Moreover, international collaborators are also encouraged to "piggyback" on the Chang'e-8 mission and independently deploy their own modules once the Chinese spacecraft lands on the moon.
Interested parties are required to submit a letter of intent to the CNSA by December 31, 2023. The final selection of proposals will be made in September 2024.
The Chang'e-8 mission is slated to follow the Chang'e-7 mission in 2026, which shares the objective of searching for lunar resources on the moon's south pole. These two missions are essential precursors to the establishment of the Beijing-led International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) planned for the 2030s.
China, which previously achieved a successful lunar mission with the uncrewed Chang'e-5 probe in 2020, is preparing to send the uncrewed Chang'e-6 probe to the far side of the moon in the first half of 2024 to retrieve soil samples.
China's ambitious timeline to construct an outpost on the moon's south pole coincides with NASA's more advanced Artemis program. The Artemis program aims to return U.S. astronauts to the lunar surface by December 2025, barring any delays.
Under the Artemis 3 mission scheduled for 2025, two U.S. astronauts are expected to land on the lunar south pole, marking the first human visit to this region. The last time a human set foot on the moon was during NASA's Apollo program in 1972.
Subsequent Artemis missions, namely Artemis 4 and 5, are planned for 2027 and 2029, respectively. However, it's important to note that NASA is prohibited by U.S. law from engaging in direct or indirect collaboration with China.
As of September 2023, a total of 29 countries, including India, have signed the Artemis Accords—an agreement formulated by NASA and the U.S. State Department to establish norms of behavior in space and on the lunar surface. Notably, China and Russia are not among the signatories of this agreement.
China has thus far secured participation from Russia and Venezuela for its lunar station program. This move signifies China's determination to strengthen its presence in space exploration while inviting the world to be a part of its ambitious lunar mission.
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