A Kenyan science institution has signed a deal with a Chinese space agency in a mission aimed at building a permanent base on the moon.
The Kenya Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) mid-this month with the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS).
Following the agreement, KAIST pledged to help the China-led institution to strategies and advance its goal of establishing a base on space by 2030.
The agreement was reached after the two science and technology institutions met at the Konza Techno City located south of Nairobi City.
According to a Kenyan representative, the agreement would help KAIST to advance its research work and provide education opportunities for its members.
The meeting was also attended by a Chinese representative, Hu Zhaobin, the deputy director of China’s Deep Space Exploration Laboratory.
The Kenyan representative also told Hu Zhaobin that the institute would engage with the Kenyan government to join the project.
Meanwhile, Ethiopia also joined the mission after its representatives signed an agreement on April 5 with ILRS during a meeting held in Addis Ababa.
In the meeting, which was also attended by Hu Zhaobin, the Ethiopian representative said its institute, the Space Science and Geospatial Institute (SSGI) would actively participate in and promote the construction of the ILRS.
Similarly, Hu Zhaobin noted the project would help boost the development of Ethiopia’s aerospace sector and space exploration technologies.
According to ILRS, several countries have joined the mission, among them including South Africa and Egypt.
So far, the ILRS has nine member countries including China, Russia, Venezuela, Pakistan, Azerbaijan, Belarus, South Africa, Egypt and Thailand.
