State Corporation Roscosmos and NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration, USA) signed a joint statement on cooperation in deep space research and exploration during the 68th International Aerospace Congress in Adelaide (Australia).

Roscosmos and NASA affirmed their intent to continue using the International Space Station (ISS) as a basis for further space exploration, as well as their cooperation in the framework of an international lunar program: Establishment of a cis-lunar man-tended platform Deep Space Gateway, harmonization of standards, science missions to low lunar orbit and the lunar surface.

In particular, the partners intend to develop international technical standards to be used in the future, including establishment of a station in a cis-lunar orbit. Roscosmos and NASA have already reached an agreement on the standards for the docking assembly of the future station. Taking into account our country's considerable experience in the development of docking assemblies, the future station elements will be based on Russian designs, just as the standards for life support systems. The developed standards will be used by all countries in development and construction of their space hardware.

At present, other space powers also consider joining the project of the international lunar exploration and development of the Deep Space Gateway – they are looking at their scientific and technical potential for participation in exploration of the Moon.

The parties have also discussed the possibility of using Russian launch vehicles (LS) for establishing the infrastructure for the lunar station. Thus, during the first phase it is planned to use the US super-heavy LV SLS concurrently with our country’s heavy LVs Proton-M and Angara A5M. After a Russian super-heavy launch vehicle is developed, it will also be used to support the lunar orbital station.

Major activities on development of the lunar station will begin in mid-2020s.

Igor KOMAROV, the General Director of ROSCOSMOS: “At least five countries are working on the development of their own manned spacecraft and systems. In order to avoid future problems in technical cooperation, some of the standards will have to be harmonized – to provide the capability for various countries to operate their own hardware and still be able to dock with the international cis-lunar station. Some of the key standards will be based on Russian designs. The agreements that have been reached open new prospects for international cooperation and expand the opportunities for using productive capacity of the Russian rocket and space industry”.