China's Lunar Ambitions: A Shift Away from Russia?
Russia's moon missions have been excluded from China's latest blueprint for the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS), a joint project between the two countries. The absence of the Russian missions from the presentation given by a senior Chinese space scientist has led to speculation about strained relations between the two nations. Some observers believe that China's increased confidence in its domestic space industry and Russia's poor performance in space in recent years may have influenced this decision. However, others suggest that the exclusion could be a strategic move by China to encourage other nations to sign up for the ILRS.