ILRS

The International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) is initiated by China and Russia under their respective space agencies, the China National Space Administration (CNSA) and Roscosmos, who have signed a memorandum of understanding to promote collaboration in this project. The project aims to leverage the scientific and technological expertise of both countries to plan, develop, design, demonstrate, and conduct lunar activities, fostering the creation of an international space community.

Thailand's involvement in the ILRS began in April 2023 when NARIT, in collaboration with Mahidol University, proposed a scientific and research payload supporting the main mission of the Chang'e 7 spacecraft. The proposed payload, named the Sino-Thai Sensor Package for Space Weather Global Monitoring, is designed to measure high-energy particles such as electrons and protons under cosmic radiation in space. It also aims to study the effects of interactions between the Sun, Earth, and Moon caused by these particles. This payload was selected as one of the seven scientific instruments to be included in the Chang'e 7 lunar exploration mission, scheduled for 2026. This led to the signing of a cooperation agreement between NARIT, under the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation, and the Deep Space Exploration Laboratory (DSEL) under CNSA on September 25, 2023, officially commencing the project.