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6d ago

Russia Signs Deal to Build Lunar Power Plant by 2036

The plan underscores a drive to secure sustained lunar power in a tightening race with the United States.

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 deliver a lunar power plant with a completion target set for 2036.
  • Rosatom and the Kurchatov Institute were named as participants, though Roscosmos did not call the facility a reactor, indicating likely nuclear technology.
  • The plant is intended to provide continuous energy for rovers, a scientific observatory and infrastructure for the planned Russian‑Chinese International Lunar Research Station.
  • A published roadmap from 2025 to 2036 covers spacecraft design, ground testing, in‑flight trials and deployment on the lunar surface.
  • NASA aims to deploy a lunar reactor by early fiscal 2030 under rules that allow nuclear power sources in space while banning nuclear weapons.