The Russian Space Agency Roscosmos invited NASA leaders to discuss joint projects on the development of the Moon, reported the russian newspaper Kommersant, quoting the Deputy Director for International Cooperation of Roscosmos, Sergei Saveliev.
According to Saveliev, in recent years, the direct communication channels between the state corporation Roscosmos and NASA in various areas “have deteriorated markedly.”
“Instead of discussing dozens of projects of mutual interest, it is about the delivery of astronauts to the International Space Station as part of a manned program, or the delivery to the United States of Russian RD-180/181 engines. Ambitious projects related to the development of the Moon could become a serious factor for cooperation between the two countries in difficult times, “he said.
In April 2020, the President of the United States, Donald trump, signed an executive decree declaring that the United States has the right to exploit and use the resources of space. Later, the media reported that the Trump administration was preparing an international agreement on the development of the Moon. Russia was not included in the project.
