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Russia Looks to China for Collaboration in Space
Russian space agency head Dmitry Rogozin told Russian media Feb. 26 that sanctions imposed by Western countries would hit supplies of microelectronics necessary for spacecraft
Thursday, March 3, 2022

Russian space agency head Dmitry Rogozin told Russian media Feb. 26 that sanctions imposed by Western countries would hit supplies of microelectronics necessary for spacecraft.

“With all our efforts to promote the Russian national microelectronic industry… it is impossible to produce everything,” Rogozin said, adding that, “We have excellent relations with China … and we will solve these problems.”

China has been seen as trying to balance its response to the Ukrainian conflict. Beijing is urging restraint and has declined to describe Russia’s actions as an invasion, but appears to be careful to avoid being caught in the repercussions faced by Russia.

“China and Russia are comprehensive strategic partners of coordination. Our relationship features non-alliance, non-confrontation and non-targeting of any third party. China’s position on the Ukraine issue is consistent. We always decide on our position and policy based on the merits of the matter itself,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said in a regular press conference Feb. 28

The U.S. State Department in January also imposed sanctions on subsidiaries of China’s main space contractors, the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) and the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC) under the Arms Export Control Act and the Export Administration Act.

Roscosmos says it is also looking for new partnerships following the breakdown in relations. Rogozin told the TASS news agency that he had instructed a team to initiate negotiations with Beijing on the coordination and mutual technical support of deep space missions.

Sino-Russian cooperation has grown in recent years, including agreements for cooperation on the Chinese Chang’e-6 and Chang’e-7 and Russian Luna 27 missions, a joint data center for lunar and deep space exploration and a proposed joint International Lunar Research Station (ILRS).

Question marks over the respective roles in the lunar base plan emerge however with an expected heavy impact of sanctions on Russian space activities. The ILRS roadmap envisions a series of launches in the early 2030s by new super heavy-lift launch vehicles to be developed separately by both Russia and China. The ILRS aims to establish a robotic research base, likely targeting the lunar south pole, according to a roadmpap released in June 2021.

Other missions could now see Chinese collaboration in place of American involvement. Rogozin said the Venera-D mission to Venus could no longer feature U.S. involvement. While discussions between American and Russian scientists on a potential role for NASA on mission, the project had experienced extensive delays.

India meanwhile has so far refrained from criticizing Russia. In December the pair agreed to strengthen cooperation in the space sector, including human spaceflight programs and satellite navigation, as part of a wider set of agreements.

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