US, Russia to Collaborate on Lunar Space Station

The United States and Russia will cooperate to build a space station in orbit around the moon, known as the deep space gateway.

NASA and its Russian counterpart Roscosmos signed a joint statement on Wednesday at the 68th International Astronautical Congress in Australia to pursue a manned spaceport orbiting the moon.

"NASA plans to expand human presence into the solar system starting in the vicinity of the Moon using its new deep space exploration transportation systems, the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft," reads a press release from Cheryl Warner of the NASA Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. "This plan challenges our current capabilities in human spaceflight and will benefit from engagement by multiple countries and U.S. industry."

"While the deep space gateway is still in concept formulation, NASA is pleased to see growing international interest in moving into cislunar space as the next step for advancing human space exploration," Robert Lightfoot, NASA acting administrator, said in a press release. "Statements such as this one signed with Roscosmos show the gateway concept as an enabler to the kind of exploration architecture that is affordable and sustainable."

Roscosmos added in their own statement that "the partners intend to develop international technical standards which will be used later, in particular to create a space station in lunar orbit," according to Agence France-Presse. 

"Roscosmos and NASA  have already agreed on standards for a docking unit of the future station. Taking into account the country's extensive experience in developing docking units, the station's future elements will be created using Russian designs."

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