Moscow Seeks Partnership with Musk for Mars Exploration

Kirill Dmitriev, head of Russia's sovereign wealth fund and economic envoy for US-Russia relations, has extended an invitation to Elon Musk for collaboration on Mars exploration. Dmitriev emphasized the importance of US-Russia space cooperation for "the glory of humanity," underscoring the potential of such a partnership in a post shared on X this past Saturday.

This invitation follows Musk's announcement of a planned 2026 Mars mission. Musk revealed that SpaceX's Starship spacecraft is expected to launch next year, carrying a Tesla humanoid robot, Optimus. He also hinted at the possibility of human landings on Mars as early as 2029.

"Could 2029 mark the year of a joint US-Russia mission to Mars, @elonmusk? Our minds and technologies should be used to advance humanity, not to harm it," Dmitriev wrote. He also pointed out that 2025 will be the 50th anniversary of the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project, the first crewed international space mission between the US and the Soviet Union, which took place in July 1975.

While Musk has yet to publicly comment on the proposal, the idea has sparked positive reactions on social media.

This invitation arrives as US-Russia relations show signs of improvement after years of tension over the Ukraine conflict. Dmitriev recently participated in high-level US-Russia talks in Saudi Arabia, marking the first direct diplomatic exchange between the two nations since 2022. The discussions indicated a mutual interest in revitalizing economic and diplomatic cooperation and seeking solutions for the Ukraine situation.

Despite ongoing political challenges and sanctions against Russia, space collaboration between the US and Russia remains intact. NASA and Roscosmos, Russia’s space agency, recently renewed their agreement for cross-flights to the International Space Station through 2026.

In a related development, Russian President Vladimir Putin recently encouraged domestic companies to work with Musk, especially as the billionaire focuses on scientific endeavors, rather than his current role in government reform. Since returning to office, President Donald Trump appointed Musk as an adviser to lead the Department of Government Effectiveness (DOGE), tasked with cutting wasteful spending, bureaucracy, and corruption in the US government.

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