Partner nations on China's lunar research station programme
Belarus this week joined China's International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) programme, the third country to sign up this month for a plan to eventually set up a permanently inhabited outpost on the moon's south pole.
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Earlier in October, Pakistan and Azerbaijan joined the ILRS, a project jointly initiated by China and Russia in 2021 and widely seen as a rival to the U.S.-led Artemis programme.
Lunar missions this decade will establish a "basic" version of the research station, followed by more missions in the 2030s to construct a "full" version of the base.
By 2050, the ILRS is expected to be a fully operational station for lunar research, and potentially also a launch pad for crewed missions to other planets in the solar system.
| Country | Year/Month joined |
| China* | 2021/June |
| Russia* | 2021/June |
| Venezuela | 2023/July |
| South Africa | 2023/September |
| Azerbaijan | 2023/October |
| Pakistan | 2023/October |
| Belarus | 2023/October |
Note: (*) denotes founding member.
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