(MENAFN) China has officially launched the International Deep Space Exploration Association (IDSEA)—a newly established global academic body aimed at advancing deep space exploration—according to media. The announcement was made Monday in Hefei, the capital city of eastern China's Anhui province.

The organization was created through a joint effort by the Deep Space Exploration Laboratory in Hefei, the Lunar Exploration and Space Program Center under the China National Space Administration, the Chinese Society of Astronautics, the Chinese Society of Space Research, and the French-led initiative "Planetary Exploration, Horizon 2061."

Twenty leading Chinese academicians and thirty-one international experts co-sponsored the formation of IDSEA.

Wu Weiren, chief architect of China’s lunar missions and a member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, has been appointed as the association’s inaugural chairman.

Wu underscored the association’s critical role in strengthening international cooperation within China’s space initiatives, describing it as a pivotal move toward driving global breakthroughs in deep space exploration.

According to Wu, IDSEA’s scope will cover a wide range of initiatives, including lunar and planetary missions, asteroid impact prevention, international academic cooperation, talent training, and the establishment of global standards. It will also emphasize the peaceful and sustainable use of outer space.

Despite entering the space race later than other nations, China has rapidly emerged as a central figure in the field, demonstrating a strong commitment to international collaboration.

In a major step toward openness, China in April 2025 granted access to lunar samples from its Chang’e-5 mission to seven research institutions spanning six countries—France, Germany, Japan, Pakistan, the United Kingdom, and the United States—for scientific study.

The country has also extended invitations for global involvement in its ongoing Mars exploration efforts.

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