However you may feel about the Russian issue currently being debated, the one area where Russia has been our friend, well, definitely more than an acquaintance, is when it comes to space and the ISS. Granted NASA has also done work with JAXA, the ESA and others, but as the Moon is in our crosshairs, we have once again linked up with Russia to together build the first lunar space station.
This is partly in planning for Mars, but as a new announcement from Elon Musk is due out shortly regarding his Mars plans that will involve additional work both in orbit & on the Moon, I predict we will be hearing lots over the next year, specific on our planned Moon Settlement.
Actualkly – the awesome part about this project that they refer to as “Deep Space Gateway” is that it involves the construction/deployment of a space-port in lunar orbit. This will be a multi-stage project and this “gateway” will be a gateway to deep space as well as to the Moon.
Although NASA is apparently taking the lead on this project it is quite apparent that they are indeed going to be partners, something which is odd in some ways. Not because of any political differences as space plans have somehow always managed to be kept separate from such things.
Russia a partner in the ISS has previously stated its plan to leave the ISS membership by, I believe, originally 2020. They apparently have a Multipurpose Laboratory Module that they intend to launch this year. (Ten years past its originally planned date.) This is/was to be followed by a node connector module in 2018 and then a science & power module called NEM-1 which is still in the early stages of development, by 2020. Now, after some thought they have reconsidered staying a part of the ISS until the end. (The end as there is plan to decommission it in 2024.)
It is likely that some parts from it will be used to form this new lunar station – gateway to space project. While a Moonbase was certainly thought to be the likely future observatory for monitoring Earth, in space makes so much more sense. Think of the extras that can be gleaned from it! A gateway to Mars, a gateway to deep space, an assistant in watching al on Earth and the mining expeditions that head to the Moon (which is in accordance with the space treaty.)
AND there already is a rather large amount of mutual concordance with items such as making ports to space capsules, or other similar doorways the same no matter which country handles it. Very logical, especially if you have seen the movie Gravity: What would Dr Ryan Stone (played by Sandra Bullock) have done if she were unable to gain entry to the Chinese spacecraft/ Chinese Tiangong station in order to return to Earth and survive. Having similar features on space-craft apparently saves lives!
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