According to Deputy Director of the Lebedev Physical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences (LPI RAS) Larisa Likhachova, Russia is ready to sign agreements with China, South Korea, France, and Italy to cooperate in the construction of the Millimetron space observatory (Spektr-M).

Likhachova said that the corresponding intergovernmental agreements are currently being prepared for cooperation with China, South Korea, France, and Italy at the national level, defining the specific role of each project participant based on the consensus already reached earlier.

International interest in the Millimetron project has grown over the past two years. "Counterparts from the National Astronomical Observatory of Spain and the Yebes Observatory recently took an interest in the project," Likhachova said.

Likhachova said that South Korea may help build millimeter-wave band terrestrial antenna networks and broadband mixed-frequency heterodyne receivers.

Organization of French, Swedish and Dutch scholars and China will assist in the construction of matrix receivers. Italy has committed to assist in the construction of long-wave matrix spectrum analyzers.

Equipped with a 110-meter-diameter space telescope, the Millimetron observatory is designed to receive information in the millimeter-wave and infrared bands in the wavelength range of 0.02 to 17 millimeters.

Scientists hope to use the telescope to obtain data on the overall structure of the universe, galaxies and galactic centers, the structure and evolution of planets and galaxies, cosmic dust and space organic compounds, and celestial bodies with super gravitational and electromagnetic fields.

According to the project's official website, the Millimetron space observatory is expected to be sent into space by Russia's Angara rocket from Vostochny Cosmodrome in 2029. (Sputnik)