Over 100 participants, including scientists and officials from the China National Space Administration (CNSA), Ministry of Civil Affairs, Anhui provincial authorities, China Association for Science and Technology, and foreign embassies, attended the launch ceremony. Sixteen international organizations-among them the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs and the International Astronautical Federation-joined over 70 agencies, universities, and institutions in sending congratulatory remarks.
IDSEA is the result of a multi-year collaborative effort led by four Chinese institutions: the Deep Space Exploration Laboratory, the Lunar Exploration and Space Program Center of the CNSA, the Chinese Society of Astronautics, and the Chinese Society of Space Research. The French-led initiative "Planetary Exploration, Horizon 2061" also contributed to its formation.
Following more than two years of groundwork and endorsements from 20 Chinese academicians and 31 international scientists, the association secured State Council approval in April and officially registered with the Ministry of Civil Affairs. IDSEA is the first international science organization headquartered in Anhui.
A formal statement underscored President Xi Jinping's emphasis on deep space research as a collective human venture. He has called for persistent progress in interplanetary missions, and the creation of the IDSEA is seen as a direct response to this vision.
The founding conference also ratified the association's charter and elected its inaugural council. Wu Weiren, chief architect of China's lunar program and a member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, will serve as IDSEA's first president.
The association aims to advance research in lunar science, planetary exploration, asteroid hazard mitigation, and related disciplines. Its launch signals China's growing role in global space collaboration and reflects the shared innovation goals of the international community.
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China National Space Administration
The Chinese Space Program - News, Policy and Technology
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