Humans are preparing for a new major step aiming at discovering more space-related secrets, and preparing to land on other planets in the solar system, along with building international space stations all around the globe.
In this context, both the US space agency NASA and Russia’s Roscosmos announced that they reached an agreement to implement another promising space project in order to conduct further studies on the moon and to establish farther stations, which will transport people deeper into space.
Astronauts from both agencies are currently working on establishing a lunar space station, which will house people and will be similar to the International Space Station built by Russia and the US where astronauts and experts from around the world would work.
Roscosmos and NASA signed the new station’s agreement on the sidelines of the International Astronautical Congress held in Australia on September 27.
The station will be known as the “Deep Space Gateway”.
According to Igor Komarov, Roscosmos’s general director, the first modules are projected to be completed between 2024 and 2026.
He noted that his agency would manufacture the parts and the vehicles that would form the station, suggesting that the techniques may be used later to create orbital stations around Mars.
The agreement signing came after over a year of talks between the two sides, during which they studied the details of the project, and shared the tasks during the implementation.
Given the importance of the project, the Russian space agency intends to adjust its financial plan until 2025 and will work with the government to secure the necessary funds for the project.
NASA confirmed the signing of the “Deep Space Gateway” agreement and said it reflects the common vision of space institutions in both countries to continue space exploration. It also described the lunar orbital station as a strategic step and a very important component of space exploration, which requires much study.
The agreement between the Russian and US agencies allows other countries to participate in the project, namely China, India, Brazil and South Africa.
Scientists say the lunar orbital station will help humans build stations on the moon to study it more accurately. The station itself may be used as a platform to launch spacecraft to distant planets.
