Russia and China are making plans to further their geopolitical relationship, this time in space with the building of a new lunar station. The countries space agencies, Russias Roscosmos and Chinas National Space Administration, signed Tuesday a memorandum of understanding on behalf of their respective governments signaling their commitment to create a new lunar space station. The International Lunar Research Station, they said in a statement, will be a comprehensive scientific experiment base with the capability of longterm autonomous operation, built on the lunar surface andor on the lunar orbit.

It will carry out multidisciplinary and multiobjective scientific research activities such as lunar exploration and utilization, lunarbased observation and scientific experiments, they added. Both countries will work together on the planning, design, development and operation of the station. No date was outlined for when the project might begin, or be completed.

Russia and Chinas strengthening of ties, both on Earth and in space, continues a trend that has emerged in recent years. That deepening alliance, which spans increasing economic, military and political cooperation, even led Chinese President Xi Jinping to call his Russian counterpart President Vladimir Putin his best friend in 2019, in an uncharacteristic display of warm relations. This burgeoning geopolitical friendship has come as their respective relationships with the U.S. have deteriorated in recent years,…