Russian space agency Roscosmos has signed an agreement of intent with the Chinese National Space Administration (CNSA) to collaborate on the exploration of the Moon and other deepspace destinations.

As part of the agreement, both the parties will explore the areas of collaboration in the implementation of their individual mission to the Moon.

Russia is currently planning to launch an orbital spacecraft, Luna-Resurs-1 (Luna-26), to the Moon in 2022. China expects to land in the region of the Moon’s south pole by 2023.

A joint data centre on lunar projects and outer space will also be created under the new agreement.

The centre is expected to engage scientific and industrial organisations as well as Russian and Chinese companies.

“China is in the process of building a base on the Moon, with an aim to improve the efficiency of the country’s upcoming lunar exploration missions.”

In June 2016, the Governments of Russia and China entered a deal to jointly establish measures to protect technology used in the exploration and use of outer-space for peaceful purposes.

The deal became effective on 18 December 2016. It also includes the creation and operation of launch vehicles and ground-based space infrastructure.

In November last year, Roscosmos and the CNRC signed a programme of cooperation in the field of space covering the period of 2018-22.

The agreement includes the study of the Moon, deepspace, space science, and related technology, as well as the monitoring of space debris and practical study of relevant issues.

Satellites and their applications, element base, materials, and cooperation of Earth remote sensing data will also be studied.

In addition, China is in the process of building a base on the Moon, with an aim to improve the efficiency of the country’s upcoming lunar exploration missions, reported globaltimes.cn.

Initially, the proposed base will be controlled by artificial intelligence robots. Following a manned lunar-landing, the base will be occasionally managed by human beings.