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China and Thailand will cooperate to carry out lunar exploration missions

2024-04-07   

On April 5th, the National Space Administration of China and the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation of Thailand jointly signed a memorandum of understanding in Beijing on cooperation in the exploration and peaceful use of outer space, as well as a memorandum of understanding on cooperation with the International Lunar Research Station. It is reported that the Chang'e-7 mission has selected to carry the "Global Space Weather Monitoring" device developed by Thailand, which will be used to observe cosmic radiation and space weather from the perspective of the moon. This will be the first time a Thai scientific instrument has entered deep space from an Earth orbit. The Chang'e-8 mission provides an international cooperation opportunity to carry 200 kilograms, and has also received multiple applications from Thailand for lunar operation robots and scientific payloads, which are currently being selected. According to the Memorandum of Understanding, China and Thailand will establish a Joint Committee and a Joint Working Group to strengthen cooperation in areas such as space exploration, space applications, and space capacity building through the planning and implementation of joint space projects, scientific exchange projects and personnel training programs, exchange of data and information, joint organization of thematic seminars and scientific workshops. Both sides will focus on the demonstration, engineering implementation, operation, and application of the International Lunar Research Station, organize expert teams to conduct research from three aspects: science, engineering, and international cooperation, and form a cooperation plan. At the same time, other countries, international organizations, research institutes, higher education institutions, industrial entities, and scientists are welcome to join the International Lunar Research Station program and benefit from joint free space exploration activities. According to Guan Feng, Director of the Lunar Exploration and Aerospace Engineering Center of the National Space Administration, China is currently implementing the fourth phase of its lunar exploration project, with the main goal of building a basic type of international lunar research station. The fourth phase of the lunar exploration project includes four missions: Chang'e-4, Chang'e-6, Chang'e-7, and Chang'e-8. Among them, the Chang'e-4 mission achieved the world's first soft landing inspection and exploration of the far side of the moon in 2019; On March 20th of this year, we successfully launched the Magpie Bridge 2 relay satellite, which will install a new "Magpie Bridge" between the Earth and the Moon, providing communication support for the fourth phase of the lunar exploration project and subsequent domestic and foreign lunar exploration missions. In the first half of this year, the Chang'e-6 mission will also be implemented, with the implementation of lunar backside sampling and return; Chang'e-7 is planned to be launched around 2026, mainly to search for water ice at the South Pole of the Moon; Chang'e-8 is planned to be launched around 2028, along with various missions of the fourth phase of the lunar exploration project, to construct the basic model of a lunar research station and carry out lunar resource system testing and verification. The follow-up mission of the International Lunar Research Station is being further discussed. "In terms of international cooperation, China has signed cooperation agreements with more than 10 countries and international organizations. We also welcome more countries and international organizations to discuss, jointly build, and share to create a common lunar scientific research facility for humanity." said Guan Feng. (Lai Xin She)

Edit:Yi Jing Responsible editor:Li Nian

Source:XinhuaNet

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