The Italian Space Agency and the China Manned Space Agency cooperate on human spaceflight activities

Manned Space Agency (CMSA) have signed an agreement concerning new scientific experiments aboard the Chinese Space Station regarding manned flight.

Screenshot: Signing the agreement between Italy
and China, in Beijing
(ASI)

The accord was signed in Beijing by the President of ASI, Roberto Battiston, and the Director-General of CMSA, Wang Zhaoyao, on the occasion of the state visit to China of Italian President Sergio Mattarella.

The scientific collaboration will focus on the study of long-duration missions of astronauts, particularly on aspects of biomedicine and physiology and related technologies.

“Space is a new silk road without boundaries, and international collaboration is a fundamental element, both from a scientific viewpoint and from that of technological development”, said Roberto Battiston. 

“We have had an excellent scientific relationship with
China for years, in several fields”, added the President of ASI. “This agreement is important for the entire European and international scientific community in the preparation of future missions for human exploration of the solar system. Only a common patrimony of knowledge may allow us to successfully move forward in space exploration.”  

The agreement foresees the establishment by the two agencies of a Joint Cooperation Committee that will meet at least once per year to determine the processes of the partnership, including access to scientific data, joint scientific publications, exchange of personnel, and joint participation in technical reviews on human flight.

The consequences of this agreement could be important, considering, on one hand, the leading position Italy has achieved in the field of human spaceflight with regard to the creation and exploitation of the International Space Station and, on the other hand, the important human spaceflight programme that China
is developing, especially with the creation of the Tiangong-3 Space Station (Source: ASI)

Key wordsČ China, Italy, New Silk Road, cooperation.