International Lunar Research Station

• 1. Founding Agreements And Partnerships

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  On the 9th of March 2021, China and Russia signed a Memorandum of Understanding regarding cooperation for the construction of the International Lunar Research Station. This document established the legal framework for Roscosmos and the China National Space Administration to lead the project together. A joint session held on the 16th of June 2021 in St. Petersburg presented the Roadmap for creation during the Global Space Exploration Conference. Sergei Saveliev from Roscosmos and Wu Yanhua from CNSA attended this meeting remotely or in person to discuss the initial terms. Consultations on a draft declaration took place behind closed doors in September 2021 with experts from Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Malaysia, Thailand, and the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs. The partnership expanded significantly by June 2023 when the United Arab Emirates and Pakistan joined the initiative alongside the Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization. Venezuela formally joined on the 17th of July 2023, signing an agreement that provided China access to Venezuelan ground stations. South African National Space Agency CEO Humbulani Mudau signed an agreement with Chinese Ambassador Chen Xiaodong on the 1st of September 2023. Azerbaijan entered the program on the 3rd of October 2023, through Azercosmos director Samaddin Asadov at the 74th International Astronautical Conference in Baku. Thailand applied to join in April 2024 and subsequently became a signatory while Turkey remains pending.

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• 2. Technical Architecture And Facilities

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  The planned base will function as a complex experimental research facility constructed on the lunar surface or in lunar orbit. It is designed to support multi-discipline scientific activities including exploration, use of the Moon, observation, fundamental experiments, and technology verification. A Cislunar Transportation Facility will handle round-trip transfers between Earth and the Moon including descent, landing, ascent, and return operations. Long-term Support Modules will operate various functions directly on the lunar surface for sustained activity. The Lunar Scientific Facility supports both in-orbit and surface experiments conducted by international partners. Ground Support Operations include data centers and application facilities located on Earth to manage mission control. Plans reported in May 2024 indicated Russia was considering nuclear energy systems to power the station. This infrastructure aims to enable long-term uncrewed operation with the prospect of future human presence. The design allows for modular expansion where new units can be added as missions progress from reconnaissance to utilization phases. Each module serves specific objectives ranging from sample collection to astronomical observation capabilities.

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• 3. Reconnaissance Mission Timeline

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  Chang'e 4 achieved a soft landing on the far side of the Moon after launching on the 7th of December 2018. This mission served as reconnaissance despite not being specifically created for the Research Station at that time. Roscosmos sent Luna 25 to deliver 30 kg of scientific payloads but it crashed due to an incorrect orbit calculation. Director Yury Borisov stated in August 2023 that a second attempt might launch in 2025 or 2026. China launched Chang'e 6 on the 3rd of May 2024 which returned samples from the Apollo Basin on the far side. The lander touched down on the 1st of June 2024 before separating its ascender to return samples to lunar orbit. Samples landed in Inner Mongolia on the 25th of June 2024 completing the first far-side extraterrestrial sample return. Pakistan contributed an orbiter called ICUBE-Q alongside Chang'e 6 during this operation. Planned future missions include Luna 26 announced in November 2022 with a launch scheduled for 2027. Luna 27 is expected to follow in August 2028 using Soyuz-2 rockets. These robotic precursors provide data necessary for selecting final construction sites and verifying landing technologies.

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• 4. Construction Phases And Milestones

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  Phase one covers the reconnaissance period from 2021 through 2025 focusing on site selection and technology verification. Phase two spans 2026 to 2035 dedicated to establishing command centers, energy systems, and research facilities. Stage one of construction runs from 2026 to 2030 involving massive cargo delivery and secure high-precision soft landings. Chang'e 8 is planned for 2028 to support joint operations while Luna 28 targets 2030. Five crucial missions will complete the establishment of in-orbit and surface facilities between 2030 and 2035. ILRS-1 establishes basic energy and telecommunication facilities by 2031. ILRS-2 focuses on lunar physics and geological profiling starting in 2032. ILRS-3 verifies in-situ resource utilization technology in 2033. ILRS-4 handles biomedical experiments and sample collection during 2034. The final facility ILRS-5 completes astronomy capabilities by 2035 using LM-9 or Yenisei launch vehicles. Utilization phase begins from 2036 onward supporting crewed lunar missions with completed infrastructure. This roadmap ensures systematic progression from initial reconnaissance to full operational capability over fifteen years.

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• 5. Scientific Objectives And Research Goals

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  The program covers lunar topography, geomorphology, and geological structure analysis as primary research goals. Scientists plan to study Lunar Physics and internal structure through dedicated instruments deployed on the surface. Lunar Chemistry investigations include materials science and geoarchaeology studies conducted by international teams. Cis-Lunar space environment monitoring provides data for future deep space exploration efforts. Moon-based astronomical observation allows researchers to view the cosmos without atmospheric interference from Earth. Lunar based biological and medical experiments test how life forms survive in low gravity environments. In-situ resource utilization strategies aim to extract water ice and other materials directly from the regolith. These objectives support long-term autonomous operation while preparing for eventual human presence. The multidisciplinary agenda includes technical verification of new technologies required for sustained habitation. Data collected will inform both scientific understanding and practical engineering solutions for future bases.

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