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6d ago

Russia Signs Deal for Moon Power Plant Targeting 2036 to Support Russian–Chinese Base

Rosatom participation with the Kurchatov Institute signals nuclear expertise on a Roscosmos project led by Lavochkin.

Russia is planning to build a nuclear power station on the moon as it looks to expand aerospace exploration and research
Russia plans to put a nuclear power plant on the moon in the next decade. (Representational image)
THIS IMAGE WAS DIRECTLY PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY AND HAS NOT BEEN VETTED FOR EDITORIAL ACCURACY BY THE AP EDITORIAL TEAM. THE IMAGE MAY CONTAIN REFERENCES THAT DO NOT ADHERE TO AP’S EDITORIAL STANDARDS CONCERNING THE CONFLICT IN UKRAINE. AP ALSO CANNOT INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY, THE DATE, LOCATION OR CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH IT WAS SHOT. 8998209 05.09.2025 Russian President Vladimir Putin, accompanied by Roscosmos State Space Corporation Director General Dmitry Bakanov, Minister of Industry and Trade Anton Alikhanov and First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov, visits the UEC-Kuznetsov aircraft engine enterprise in Samara, Russia. Kristina Kormilitsyna / Sputnik via AP
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Overview

  • Roscosmos signed a contract with the Lavochkin Association to develop the lunar power facility with work mapped from 2025 to 2036, including design, ground tests, in‑flight trials and surface deployment.
  • The agency did not label the plant as nuclear, yet the involvement of Rosatom and the Kurchatov Institute indicates nuclear know‑how on the team.
  • The installation is intended to supply continuous energy for rovers, a scientific observatory and infrastructure for the International Lunar Research Station with China.
  • NASA targets deployment of a lunar reactor by early fiscal 2030, underscoring intensifying competition to field long‑duration power on the Moon.
  • Technical specifications and safety details have not been released, though space treaties allow nuclear energy systems in space subject to established rules.