The Moon Will Yield to Kazakhstan: When Will It Happen

Kazakhstan may take part in lunar exploration within the next five years. Minister of Digital Development Zhaslan Madiyev shared the details with LS.

In an interview with an LS correspondent, the minister explained that Kazakhstan is actively expressing interest in joining China's lunar program. Chinese partners, in turn, are open to the idea of Kazakhstan participating in the initiative.

“There are no concrete projects yet. It could involve participation in the work related to the exploration and study of the Moon. New discoveries in this area are already emerging,” Madiyev stated on the sidelines of AlmatyFair.ai.

When asked about the timeline, the minister mentioned a five-year perspective.

Madiyev also commented on the 100 million yuan (around 6.5 billion tenge) that China is allocating to Kazakhstan for space-related projects.

“The proposed initiatives are currently under discussion. They must go through approval and expert review on the Chinese side. The grant will be used for the application of astrophysical ideas,” the minister said.

Madiyev was also asked who will be part of the upcoming Artificial Intelligence Council under the President, expected to be formed this year. He explained that the legal documents are still being prepared and coordinated with the Presidential Administration (PA), and experts are being selected to join the council.

“Among the top names who have given their consent, but are awaiting approval from the PA, are renowned AI futurist Kai-Fu Lee, former Google research director Peter Norvig, Japanese AI policymaker Joi Ito, as well as representatives from MIT, Stanford, the US, Europe, and China,” he explained.

The minister also addressed the issue of coverage gaps ("white spots") in major Kazakh cities. According to him, this is an ongoing problem. As cities continue to grow and construction proceeds, areas with weak signal coverage will inevitably appear despite efforts to eliminate them.

He noted that out of 350 white spots identified last year, 125 have already been resolved. In Almaty, about 30 such zones remain.

To address the issue, negotiations are underway with residents to install base stations on buildings. When citizens refuse due to fears of radiation (radiophobia), alternative solutions are implemented, such as dual-purpose poles (base station + lighting).

In addition, legislative changes have been made in the country requiring communication infrastructure to be included in master plans and detailed planning projects.