Europe and China may stop cooperating on moon missions after the Chang’e-6 program, the European Space Agency said.

Although ESA is providing equipment developed by the Swedish Institute for Space Physics for China’s Chanye-6 integrated mission to return soil samples from the far side of the moon, ESA International Affairs Manager Karl Bergqvist recently told reporters: “There is no decision on this.” continued cooperation. with [майбутніх китайських місячних місій] Chanye-7 and Chanye-8.

As a reminder, the PRC is planning at least two more flights to the Moon’s South Pole: Chanye-7 around 2026 and Chanye-8 before 2028.

Space relations between ESA and China may have cooled after European countries refused to participate in the creation of the Russia-China International Lunar Research Station (ILRS). Cooperation was also dealt a blow after ESA announced that European astronauts would not fly to Tiangong Station.