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The Moon: China and Russia team up to explore the Moon

astronaut walking on the moonImage source, Getty Images

Around the globe the race back to the Moon is on, and now Russia and China are teaming up to get ahead.

Space agencies all around the world are working quickly to expand their lunar research and try to send astronauts to the Moon again.

The China National Space Administration (CNSA) has released plans to join up with Russia's space agency - Roscomos - to build a lunar station.

The details and timings haven't been fully announced but it seems that the joint plan aims to develop research facilities on the surface or in the orbit of the Moon - or possibly both!

CNSA released a statement which said they are "open to all interested countries and international partners".

The goal of the plan is to improve scientific research and promote the "use of outer space for peaceful purpose."

More Newsround space stories...

Image source, Getty Images

Russia sent the first human into space but since then China and the US have taken the lead in space exploration.

However, it's not just China and Russia interested in lunar research, all across the world the race is on to explore the Moon again.

Elon Musk plans to take ordinary people up to the Moon in 2023 on one of his Space X rockets.

Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa said he will pay for the trip and is asking people to apply.

"I want people from all kinds of backgrounds to join," he said in a video via Twitter. The mission is called dearMoon.

Media caption,

What are conditions like on the Moon?

Nasa is also working on heading to the Moon again. Nasa's Artemis program is an ongoing space mission with the goal of landing the first female astronaut and next male astronaut on the Moon's South Pole by 2024.

The last time Nasa landed on the Moon was in 1972.

Japan have joined up with Nasa for their Artemis program. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) hope to find ice containing hydrogen in the coldest places on the Moon's surface and use this to refuel its spaceships.

Do you have what it takes to head into space?

To get you started, have a go at our space-themed quiz, and see if you could be heading there in the future!

If you cannot see the quiz, click here.