Russia has unveiled its plans to build a nuclear power plant on the Moon within the next 10 years to support its lunar program and a Russian-Chinese research station for future deep-space missions.
The proposal, confirmed by the country’s state space agency Roscosmos, would provide a sustained energy source for surface infrastructure, including rovers, scientific equipment, as well as a planned joint lunar research base with China.
The announcement followed as the US, India, Japan as well as several European nations increased efforts to establish a permanent presence on Earth’s only natural satellite. The renewed interest was prompted by the 2009 discovery of water ice on the lunar surface.
Power generation remains a great challenge for sustained lunar operations due to the two-week-long nights that restrict solar power. However, a nuclear power plant could offer continuous power regardless of lighting conditions, temperature extremes, or dust accumulation.
Nuclear energy for space
For the 2036 project, Roscosmos revealed that it has signed a contract with the Lavochkin Association, a Russian aerospace firm with decades of experience in planetary spacecraft development.
Even though the space agency did not explicitly describe the facility as a nuclear reactor, it confirmed the initiative involves Rosatom, the nation’s state nuclear corporation, as well as the Kurchatov Institute, Russia’s leading nuclear research center.
According to Roscosmos, the lunar power plant would support a broad range of activities tied to Russia’s lunar program. These include powering robotic rovers, an observatory and maintaining the infrastructure of the planned International Lunar Research Station.
“The project is an important step towards the creation of a permanently functioning scientific lunar station and the transition from one-time missions to a long-term lunar exploration programme,” Roscosmos said.
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