Russia and China plan to engage in a “detailed dialogue” about how to move forward with the construction of a base on the moon.
The Washington Examiner reported that Dmitry Rogozin, the chief executive of the Russian space agency Roscosmos, said, “Before the end of May, I plan to hold detailed dialogue with our Chinese colleagues on our cooperation in this direction.”
The expansion of Russia and China’s collaborative efforts in space indicate the strengthening of the two countries’ relationship as they continue to find themselves at odds with the U.S. and its Western allies.
In recent months, since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched his invasion of Ukraine, Russian and Western relations in space have deteriorated. In February, in response to Western sanctions on the Russian economy, the Russian government threatened to crash the International Space Station into the Earth by ceasing to provide the satellite with the propulsion technology and resources necessary to keep it in orbit. The saga concluded with the Russian government withdrawing its support from the International Space Station program so long as Western sanctions remained in place.
For years, even during the immediate aftermath of the Cold War, Russian cosmonauts and American astronauts worked side-by-side on the International Space Station, but the International Space Station serving as a symbol of geopolitical peace between a post-soviet Russia and the West may very well be at an end.
Despite this, Russia cosmonauts are currently still aboard the International Space Station and will continue conducting experiments on a timeline established by the Russian government.
Speaking with TASS, a state-owned Russian news agency, Rogozin said, “We should not hustle now declaring our stance and will carry on with our work within the timeframe set by the government, which is until 2024. A decision regarding the [International Space Station’s] future will depend to a great extent on the developing situation both in Russia and around it.”
A crew of European and American astronauts arrived at the International Space Station earlier this week as Russia cosmonauts conducted a spacewalk lasting 7 hours and 42 minutes. The Russia cosmonauts used the spacewalk as an opportunity to display the Soviet era “Victory Banner” that first flew in Berlin at the end of World War Two.
Dmitry Strugovets, a Roscosmos spokesman, said, “Cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev voiced an idea several days ago to spread the Victory Banner in the open space and wrote about it to the Roscosmos press office. His initiative was supported at all levels. No one remained indifferent.”