NASA and Russia’s space agency Roscosmos have signed a joint statement during the 68th International Astronautical Congress to collaborate on the formulation of a deep space gateway concept.The joint statement represents a common human exploration vision between the two agencies and gateway concept studies under the partnership will help decision making efforts on future collaborations, NASA said Wednesday.
“While the deep space gateway is still in concept formulation, NASA is pleased to see growing international interest in moving into cislunar space as the next step for advancing human space exploration,” said Robert Lightfoot, NASA’s acting administrator at NASA Headquarters.
The space agency noted that it aims to expand human presence within the solar system using new deep space exploration transportation systems such as the Space Launch System and the Orion spacecraft.
NASA also works with space station partners to determine common exploration objectives and potential space missions such as the gateway concept which can be launched in the 2020s.
