After conquering the moon,  the time has now come to send humans into deeper space. With this aim, NASA has joined hands with a Russian space agency – Roscosmos to build a space station orbiting the Moon.

The two agencies share a common vision for space exploration. They signed a joint statement at the 68th International Astronautical Congress in Adelaide, Australia, to develop a mission architecture designed to send astronauts into cislunar space — or lunar orbit.

Robert Lightfoot, NASA’s Acting Administrator, said that NASA is pleased to see growing international interest in moving into cislunar space as the next step for advancing human space exploration. He added that NASA aims to send humans to Mars in the 2030s.

Lightfoot said that the statements signed by NASA and Roscosmos, also known as the ‘gateway concept’ enables the kind of exploration architecture that is affordable and sustainable.

With the help of new deep space exploration transportation systems, the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft, NASA aims to expand human presence in the solar system starting in the vicinity of the Moon.

Roscosmos officials said that the new partnership would develop international technical standards for the establishment of the station in the near-moon orbit.