Russian space company calls on Asia, Europe for cooperation

MOSCOW (AFP) — A Russian aerospace organisation has contacted Asian countries and the European Space Agency to seek their participation in its moon exploration program, officials said Tuesday.

"Negotiations are underway with countries like India, China, Japan and with the European Space Agency," an official of Lavochkin Research and Production Association told AFP on condition of anonymity.

The first stage of the programme, scheduled for 2010, is a flight towards the Luna-Glob Earth satellite, according to the official. It is currently orbiting around the moon, and will study stars at a distance.

"It is very difficult for a single country to command an operation only on its own experiences. Currently there are no international courses on space exploration and this century is about cooperation," the source added.

Russia plans its first manned flight towards the moon in 2025 and the installation of a permanent base on a celestial body between 2027 and 2032, Russia Space Agency (Roskosmos) director Anatoli Perminov announced at the end of August.

Lavochkin, created 70 years ago, specialises in the production and use of unmanned spacecraft in outer space exploration.