China establishes world's first Deep Space Exploration Association

China has officially established the International Deep Space Exploration Association (IDSEA), the world's first specialized organization dedicated entirely to promoting fundamental and applied research on the moon, planets, and protecting the Earth from space threats. The management center of the new structure is located in Anhui Province, at the Hefei Science and Technology Center.

The IDSEA Association was established under the coordination of four leading Chinese space research institutions: the Deep Space Research Laboratory, the Lunar Mission and Program Center, the Chinese Astronautical Society, and the Chinese Space Research Society. Foreign experts, including participants of the French initiative Planetary Exploration Horizon 2061, also took an active part in the process of preparing and establishing the structure. Registration with the Chinese Ministry of Civil Affairs was completed after receiving approval from the country's State Council.

The opening ceremony on July 7 in Hefei was attended by more than 100 guests, including representatives of national ministries, scientific organizations, universities and international organizations. Congratulations were delivered by 16 foreign organizations, including UN missions, the International Astronautical Federation and more than 70 scientific institutions from all over the world.

At the founding conference, the association's charter was approved and the first board was elected. The president of IDSEA is Wu Weiren, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and a leading designer of the national lunar program. The statement read out on behalf of the country's leadership emphasized the importance of international cooperation and progress in the exploration of interplanetary space. It is emphasized that deep space exploration should be perceived as a common cause of humanity, which requires combining the intellectual and technological resources of different countries.

IDSEA's key areas of activity are: the development of lunar science, the study of planetary systems, the development of measures to prevent collisions with asteroids, as well as support for interdisciplinary research in related scientific fields. The creation of the association coincided with the activation of international space initiatives, which opens up opportunities for closer scientific cooperation and expansion of global cooperation in deep space exploration.