Russia and China planning nuclear power plant on Moon by 2035

 Russia, China plan Nuclear power plant on Moon

Russian space agency Roscosmos and its Chinese counterpart the China National Space Administration (CNSA) are jointly exploring the deployment of a nuclear reactor on the surface of the Moon by 2035, Russian state-owned news agency TASS has reported. Both are considering putting a nuclear power plant on the moon from 2033-35, Yuri Borisov, the head of Russia’s space agency Roscosmos said, something he said could one day allow lunar settlements to be built. The joint project between the two countries could be a step towards establishing future lunar settlements. The joint project aims to automate the mission with technology that is nearing readiness. Borisov, a former deputy defence minister, said that Russia and China had been jointly working on a lunar programme and that Moscow was able to contribute with its expertise on “nuclear space energy”.

Addressing the World Youth Festival in Sirius, Russia, Roscosmos CEO Yury Borisov announced,  “Today we are seriously considering a project — somewhere at the turn of 2033-2035 - to deliver and install a power unit on the lunar surface together with our Chinese colleagues,”. Solar panels would not be able to provide enough electricity to power future lunar settlements, he said, while nuclear power could. Moscow also mulling construction of nuclear-powered cargo spaceship. “This is a very serious challenge…it should be done in automatic mode, without the presence of humans,” he said of the possible plan. Borisov also noted that such a mission needs to be automated, with the necessary technological solutions almost ready.

Russia is also planning to build a nuclear-powered cargo spaceship. All technical questions related to the project, such as cooling the nuclear reactor, are being addressed, In March 2021, Roscosmos and CNSA solidified their partnership by signing a memorandum of understanding to cooperate on the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS). The agreement outlines a series of missions, with China contributing three: Chang’e 6, Chang’e 7 and Chang’e 8. He said all the technical questions concerning the project had been solved apart from finding a solution on how to cool the nuclear reactor.

“We are indeed working on a space tugboat. This huge, cyclopean structure that would be able, thanks to a nuclear reactor and high-power turbines…to transport large cargoes from one orbit to another, collect space debris and engage in many other applications,” Borisov said. Russian officials have spoken before of ambitious plans to one day mine on the Moon, but the Russian space programme has suffered a series of setbacks in recent years. Its first moon mission in 47 years failed last year after Russia’s Luna-25 spacecraft spun out of control and crashed. Moscow has said it will launch further lunar missions and then explore the possibility of a joint Russian-China crewed mission and even a lunar base. China said last month it aimed to put the first Chinese astronaut on the moon before 2030.

The missions will test technologies essential for establishing a robotic lunar base capable of remote operation, with the first mission scheduled for 2026 and project completion expected by 2028. The ILRS project will develop lunar landers, a jumping robot and intelligent mini-rovers to conduct lunar surface research. The project will focus on establishing communication and power systems. China’s timeline includes launching the Chang’e 6 mission in May 2024, to be followed by Chang’e 7 and Chang’e 8. Despite Russia’s setback in 2023, the collaboration with China continues to progress. In February 2024, Russian President Vladimir Putin last month refuted a US claims that Moscow planned to put nuclear weapons in space, saying it was a ploy to draw Russia into arms negotiations on the West’s terms.