MOSCOW: Russia aims to establish a nuclear power plant on the moon within the next decade to support its lunar space program and the joint Russian-Chinese International Lunar Research Station, as major powers intensify efforts to explore Earth’s only natural satellite. Since Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human in space in 1961, Russia has prided itself on being a leader in space exploration. However, in recent decades, it has fallen behind the United States and China. Its ambitions took a significant hit in August 2023 when the unmanned Luna-25 mission crashed while attempting to land on the moon.
Meanwhile, private companies like Elon Musk’s SpaceX have transformed space launch capabilities, an area once dominated by Russia. Russia’s state space corporation, Roscosmos, announced plans to build the lunar power plant by 2036, signing a contract with the Lavochkin Association aerospace company.
According to Roscosmos, the plant will power lunar rovers, an observatory, and the infrastructure of the Russian-Chinese research station.“The project is a crucial step toward creating a permanently functioning scientific lunar station, marking a shift from one-time missions to long-term lunar exploration,” Roscosmos stated. While the agency did not explicitly confirm that the plant would be nuclear, the project involves the Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom and the Kurchatov Institute, the country’s leading nuclear research center.
Dmitry Bakanov, head of Roscosmos, also noted the agency’s long-term goals include deploying a nuclear power plant on the moon and exploring Venus, often called Earth’s “sister” planet. The moon, located 384,400 km (238,855 miles) from Earth, helps stabilize our planet’s axial tilt, contributing to a more stable climate, and is responsible for ocean tides.
