SA partners with China to build research base on the moon

SOUTH Africa and China have signed a memorandum of understanding that will see the building of a research base on the moon.

The South African National Space Agency (Sansa) announced that a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between Cen Xiaodong on behalf of the China National Space Administration (CNSA), the ambassador of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Republic of South Africa, and Humbulani Mudau, the CEO of the South African National Space Agency (Sansa), marking SA's formal entry into China's International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) programme.

The research base is expected to be completed by 2030.

In a statement, Sansa said that under the MoU, South Africa will co-operate extensively on demonstration, mission implementation, operation and application, education and training of the ILRS.

"In addition, under the co-operation framework of BRICS Remote Sensing Satellite Constellation, China’s and South Africa’s space agencies carried out co-operations on remote sensing data exchange and application, and satellite ground stations," the agency added.

Sansa said on the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations establishment between China and South Africa, that South Africa’s formal entry of ILRS co-operation indicates that China-South Africa co-operation has been extended from near-earth space to the moon and deep space beyond.

"It plays a significant role in boosting technology advances and building a high-standard community with a shared future for China and SA," Sansa stated.

In a statement, CNSA said South Africa's participation will contribute to the space science and technology advancement between the two countries.