In a significant development in the realm of space research, five African countries have been selected to join the Russian-Chinese International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) project, marking a major milestone in Africa's participation in the next frontier of space exploration.

The ILRS, expected to be completed by 2035, aims to establish a permanent lunar base for robotic and crewed missions, enabling long-term scientific study, the use of space resources, and potentially paving the way for lunar settlement. With over 50 nations and hundreds of academics expected to participate, the ILRS is poised to become a direct competitor to the United States-led Artemis initiative.

During a recent conference of BRICS space agency directors, Roscosmos CEO Dmitry Bakanov confirmed the project's progress, stating that the joint initiative with China to create an International Scientific Lunar Station is actively developing. The ILRS's ambitious scope and technological ambition were further highlighted by China's announcement of plans to build a nuclear power station on the Moon by 2035 to support the project.

According to Wu Weiren, chief designer of China's lunar exploration program, Russia's expertise in nuclear power plants, particularly in sending them into space, gives it a natural advantage in powering the ILRS. The deployment of a lunar nuclear reactor by 2035 would provide a consistent, long-term power supply for the station, especially during the Moon's long nights.

The five African countries set to participate in the project are Senegal, Egypt, Ethiopia, South Africa, and Djibouti. This development comes on the heels of China and Africa's collaboration on the Africa2Moon project, which aims to build a low-cost, low-mass array of spherical antennas known as BALLS (Bounced African Lunar Low Spheres) to detect radio frequencies below 10 MHz.

Under the Africa2Moon project, Africa and China are working together to launch a lunar radio telescope and quantum communications network. The project's first phase will place four antennas near the lunar south pole, with the potential to launch its first moon mission and lunar radio telescope in April, according to Dr. Adriana Marais, Director at the Foundation for Space Development Africa and Head of Science for Africa2Moon.

In addition to the Africa2Moon project, China and South Africa are partnering to build the world's longest quantum communications network, spanning 12,900 kilometers through the border of both countries. This achievement utilized China's Jinan-1 quantum microsatellite in low Earth orbit, marking the first quantum satellite communication link established in the Southern Hemisphere.

Russia has also extended an offer to friendly nations to build spaceports on their land, according to Yury Borisov, the head of the Russian state space corporation Roscosmos. This move is part of Roscosmos's efforts to diversify its range of conventional services to incorporate the construction of ground infrastructure for the launch of carrier rockets from friendly nations.

The ILRS project's implications are far-reaching, with the potential to revolutionize space research and exploration. As the project progresses, it will be interesting to see how Africa's participation shapes the continent's role in the global space industry.