Roscosmos says the facility would support long-term lunar exploration and a joint Russian-Chinese research station as competition intensifies among major spacefaring nations.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Russia plans to construct a power plant on the moon within the next decade as part of a broader effort to sustain its lunar exploration program and support a joint research initiative with China, according to statements from the country’s state space agency.
Russia’s state space corporation, Roscosmos, said it intends to build a lunar power facility by 2036 and has signed a contract with the Lavochkin Association aerospace company to carry out the project. The agency said the installation would provide energy for rovers, a lunar observatory, and infrastructure associated with the Russian-Chinese 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 program,” Roscosmos said in a statement outlining its objectives.
While Roscosmos did not explicitly describe the power plant as nuclear, it said the project involves participation from Rosatom, Russia’s state nuclear corporation, and the Kurchatov Institute, the country’s leading nuclear research organization. The involvement of those institutions has fueled expectations that the facility would rely on nuclear energy, a power source often considered for sustained operations in space due to the moon’s extreme environment and long periods without sunlight.
The announcement comes as Russia seeks to reassert itself as a major space power. Since Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human to travel into space in 1961, the country has maintained a strong association with space exploration. In recent decades, however, Russia has faced setbacks and increasing competition from the United States and China.
One of the most significant recent blows to Russia’s lunar ambitions occurred in August 2023, when its unmanned Luna-25 mission crashed into the moon during a landing attempt. At the same time, advances by private companies, particularly those led by U.S. entrepreneur Elon Musk, have transformed launch capabilities and reduced costs, an area where Russia once held a distinct advantage.
Roscosmos head Dmitry Bakanov said in June that deploying a nuclear power plant on the moon is among the corporation’s key goals, alongside plans to explore Venus, often referred to as Earth’s “sister” planet because of its similar size and composition.
The moon, located about 384,400 kilometers (238,855 miles) from Earth, plays a critical role in stabilizing the planet’s axial tilt, contributing to a relatively stable climate, and is responsible for driving ocean tides. As nations expand their ambitions beyond Earth orbit, sustained lunar infrastructure is increasingly viewed as a strategic stepping stone for deeper space exploration.
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