The Deep Space Gateway joint lunar program with NASA is intended to create a near-Moon platform in 2024-2026, Russia’s State Space Corporation Roscosmos Head Igor Komarov told TASS on Wednesday.

"The program is designed to create a near-Moon platform in 2024-2026. We have principally agreed that we’ll work jointly. This is the desire of both NASA and Roscosmos. We are also open for drawing other countries in the project, not only those that are participating in the ISS [International Space Station] program," Komarov said.

Roscosmos sees the growing interest of Asian and Latin American countries in actively participating in piloted programs, the Roscosmos head said.

"I believe that this project [Deep Space Gateway], which will be tested in the coming twelve-eighteen months from the technological viewpoint as well, will also offer the outlook of this station. A wide range of countries will participate in this project," he noted.