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Russian, American and European space agencies are in talks to create a human colony on the Moon, according to Russian news source Rianovosti.

Russia wants to build either a space base on the surface of the Moon itself or a space station that closely orbits the heavenly body – and has planned talks with NASA and the European Space Agency about creating the manned base. It has been 40 years since humans visited the Moon and Russia cosmo-bosses want to go further this time.

"We don’t want the man to just step on the Moon,” agency chief Vladimir Popovkin said in an interview with Vesti FM radio station. “Today, we know enough about it. We know that there is water in its polar areas," he added. "We are now discussing how to begin [the Moon’s] exploration with NASA and the European Space Agency."

Russian space officials are already working on a "prospective manned transportation system" to the Moon, Popovkin said.

Read more: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/01..._moon_station/