Factbox-Partner nations on China's lunar research station programme

BEIJING (Reuters) - Belarus this week joined China's International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) programme, the third country to sign up this month for a plan to eventually set up a permanently inhabited outpost on the moon's south pole.

Earlier in October, Pakistan and Azerbaijan joined the ILRS, a project jointly initiated by China and Russia in 2021 and widely seen as a rival to the U.S.-led Artemis programme.

Lunar missions this decade will establish a "basic" version of the research station, followed by more missions in the 2030s to construct a "full" version of the base.

By 2050, the ILRS is expected to be a fully operational station for lunar research, and potentially also a launch pad for crewed missions to other planets in the solar system.

Country Year/Month joined

China* 2021/June

Russia* 2021/June

Venezuela 2023/July

South Africa 2023/September

Azerbaijan 2023/October

Pakistan 2023/October

Belarus 2023/October

Note: (*) denotes founding member

(Reporting by Ryan Woo; Editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise)